A survey analysis covering 17,252 people found that confidence in physicians as cancer-information sources held steady through 2024, while confidence in government health agencies weakened during the pandemic’s later stages. MedPage Today reported on the cross-sectional study, which used data from the National Cancer Institute’s Health Information National Trends Survey.
The analysis was led by Todd Burus, PhD, of the University of Kentucky in Lexington, and colleagues, with findings published in a research letter in JAMA Network Open. Trust in physicians stood at 95.7% in the prepandemic period and did not materially change through 2024.
By comparison, trust in government health agencies was 75.9% before the pandemic, then measured 71.3% in the late-pandemic period and 71.7% afterward. The researchers also found a decline in confidence in charitable organizations during the late-pandemic period, from 51.8% to 47.9%. Trust in family or friends fell during the post-pandemic period, moving from 58.2% to 52.6%.
The survey combined four cycles conducted in 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024, grouping respondents according to when they completed the questionnaire. Among participants, the average age was 47.9 years and 51% were female. Subgroup results showed lower confidence in government health agencies among white respondents, men, adults ages 18 to 34 years, metropolitan residents and people with no cancer history.
Nonmetropolitan residents were the only subgroup other than white respondents to show a decrease in trust in physicians, falling from 97.8% before the pandemic to 93.2% in the late-pandemic period and 92.9% afterward. The researchers said limited trust in cancer information from physicians and healthcare systems has been associated with poor adherence or nonadherence to screening guidance, whereas stronger trust has been connected with greater use of genetic testing and cancer treatment concordance. In an accompanying commentary, Skyler B. Johnson, MD, of the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City, said physicians remain a consistent source of trust even as patients encounter information from sources ranging from evidence based to unreliable.
The study team said its results may reflect a growing role for nontraditional messengers and suggested coordinated communication involving clinical, public health and community sources. The authors cautioned that self-reporting, nonresponse and analytical decisions could have introduced bias into the findings.