Trust in medical staff leads to improved pain, satisfaction and quality of life for patients, according to results of a study published in the medical journal Plos One.
Trust in doctors, therapists and nursing staff is a key requirement when treating patients, and is already laid down as a principle in ethical guidelines and professional codes.
Psychologists at the University of Basel in Switzerland conducted a meta-analysis of 47 studies that address the relationship between confidence and better health in people undergoing medical treatment. They took into account 35,000 participants.
The results of this study showed that the trust that patients have in their medical staff has a positive effect on the satisfaction, health-related behavior, quality of life and complaints of those who are cared for.
Trust as a clinical therapy tool
By empirically confirming that trust in medical personnel has a significant effect on patients, the analysis reinforces the demand for trusting relationships in medical environments.
“The results of our meta-analysis are a clear indication of the value of patients’ trust in their healthcare professionals. They emphasize the need for and the development and safeguarding of trust,” says Professor Jens Gaab , co-author of the study.
This new study confirms the conclusions of a Massachusetts General Hospital study, published in the medical journal Plos One in May 2014. She revealed that a good understanding with her doctor is important and that it can influence the therapeutic quality of the consultation.
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