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BMC Health Services Research

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Open Access 01-12-2019 | Research article

The impact of contract service policy and doctor communication skills on rural patient-doctor trust relationship in the village clinics of three counties

Authors: Linni Gu, Jianjun Deng, Huiwen Xu, Shengfa Zhang, Min Gao, Zhiyong Qu, Weijun Zhang, Donghua Tian

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2019

Abstract

Background

Trust is regarded as the cornerstone of the doctor-patient relationship in the world of medicine; it determines the decisions patients make when choosing doctors and influences patients’ compliance with recommended treatments. In China, patient-doctor trust acts as a thermometer measuring harmony in the doctor-patient relationship. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between the contract service and patient-doctor trust-building in 25 village clinics of rural China.

Method

The research was carried out in village clinics in rural China. A simple random sampling method was used to choose clinics and subjects. Based on feasibility and financial support, we chose three counties as our study settings: Dafeng District, Jiangsu Province; Yinan County, Shandong Province; and Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County, Hubei Province. Twenty-five village clinics and 574 subjects were selected in the three areas from the contract service and patient list. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, MANOVA, SEM, and multiple regression statistical analysis were employed to analyze the data.

Result

Statistical analysis showed that contract service directly and indirectly influenced patient-doctor trust-building in village clinics. The patient perception of doctor communication skills was a mediator in the relationship between contract service policy and patient-doctor trust-building.

Conclusions

Building patient-doctor trust is important in developing and enhancing rural health. The policy of contract service plays a significant role in building relationships. Well-developed communication skills of doctors contribute to the implementation of the contract service policy and to establishing patient-doctor trust.

Considering that the role of MANOVA was to test the differences in the effects of the demographic variables on patient trust in doctor, we only considered the main effect of the variable, and disregarded the interaction effects.

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Title: The impact of contract service policy and doctor communication skills on rural patient-doctor trust relationship in the village clinics of three counties
Authors: Linni Gu
Jianjun Deng
Huiwen Xu
Shengfa Zhang
Min Gao
Zhiyong Qu
Weijun Zhang
Donghua Tian
Publication date: 01-12-2019
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-3875-x

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

The impact of contract service policy and doctor communication skills on rural patient-doctor trust relationship in the village clinics of three counties

Abstract

Background

Method

Result

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Method

Result

Conclusions

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