Trust in the Health System and COVID-19 Treatment

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Economics
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• COVID-19's rapid global spread strains healthcare systems, particularly in resource-limited low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Low public trust in healthcare systems within LMICs, often due to perceived low quality, can lead to non-cooperative behaviors during health crises.
• Understanding factors influencing health-seeking behavior is critical for effective pandemic response in vulnerable populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between public trust in the healthcare system and the likelihood of seeking treatment for COVID-19 symptoms.
• To provide causal evidence on how healthcare system trustworthiness influences early symptom-related health-seeking behavior.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a unique national online survey in Armenia, a post-Soviet LMIC, to gather initial evidence.
• Conducted a large-scale survey experiment in Armenia to establish causal links between trust and treatment-seeking behavior.

Main Results:

• A significant positive correlation was found between higher trust in the healthcare system and an increased probability of seeking treatment upon observing initial COVID-19 symptoms.
• The survey experiment provided causal evidence confirming that a more trustworthy healthcare system enhances the likelihood of early treatment-seeking behavior.

Conclusions:

• Enhancing public trust in healthcare systems is a vital strategy for improving public health responses to pandemics like COVID-19 in LMICs.
• Interventions aimed at building healthcare system credibility may effectively promote timely medical attention for infectious diseases.