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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Americans' trust in government health agencies for cancer information dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic and hasn't recovered, a new JAMA Network Open study finds. Trust fell from 75.9% before the pandemic to 71.3% by late pandemic — and stayed low at 71.7% post-pandemic. Doctors, however, remained the most trusted source throughout, holding steady at around 95%.
The COVID-19 pandemic didn't just disrupt healthcare delivery — it also shook public confidence in health institutions. A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that Americans' trust in government health agencies as a source of cancer information dropped significantly during the pandemic and has yet to recover, even years later.
Researchers analyzed data from over 17,000 respondents to the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), spanning from early 2018 through September 2024. Trust in charitable organizations and family/friends as cancer information sources also declined over the same period.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With trust in traditional health authorities still lagging, cancer communication strategies may need to lean more heavily on physicians and community messengers to ensure evidence-based information reaches patients effectively.
