Trust in family physician: a scale adaptation study

Background
As is the case in all sectors, trust between physicians and patients in the health sector is essential. However, a lack of trust in the healthcare sector may contain some costs, as in other sectors. A patient who does not trust the doctor or whose sense of trust is damaged will go to different doctors, causing unnecessary use of health services and different costs due to the demand for health services.

Objectives
Primary care is the first step where low-cost preventive and therapeutic health services are provided. Family medicine is the first step in health service where communication between family members, patients, and physicians is realized and maintained. In this regard, the need for a scale to measure physician–patient trust in family medicine is the starting point of this study.

Material and methods
Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used in this study, conducted with a cross-sectional research design. Data was obtained from two different samples, and analyses were performed.

Results
As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the “Trust in Family Physician Scale” is a valid and reliable measurement tool.

Conclusions
It is recommended that the developed Scale be used in different cultures, that health authorities and physicians strengthen the doctor–patient relationship, and that the element of trust be prioritized.