Recognize the Weight Your Words Carry; Patients Trust You More Than They Do the CDC

It’s unlikely a patient would think to tell you this directly, but new research published by the journal Health Affairs shows that in the COVID-19 era physicians and nurses are more trusted for health information than federal, state, and local health agencies. While 37% of 4,208 participants in a telephone survey said they trust the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide solid information, 54% said they trust physicians “a great deal” while 48% said the same about nurses. Only 26% said they trust local health officials, with roughly the same proportion (25%) trusting state health authorities. With COVID being an ongoing concern in spite of it having faded from top-of-mind awareness among the public, be aware of the authority you have in keeping patients informed.