What is Public Trust in the Health System?: Insights into Health Data Use

EPDF and EPUB available Open Access under CC-BY-ND licence. This book explores the concept of public trust in health systems. In the context of recent events, including public response to interventions to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination uptake and the use of health data and digital health, this important book uses empirical evidence to address why public trust is vital to a well-functioning health system. In doing so, it provides a comprehensive contemporary explanation of public trust, how it affects health systems and how it can be nurtured and maintained as an integral component of health system governance. Front Cover What is Public Trust in the Health System?: Insights into Health Data Use Copyright information Table of Contents List of figures and tables About the author Acknowledgements ONE Introduction Part I Why do we care about public trust in the health system? TWO What is trust? Relationship – we need a relation to trust Communication – we need to communicate to place trust Truth – we need truthful information to place trust Autonomy – we need free choice to place trust Alternatives – we need alternatives between which we choose to trust No guarantee – we cannot guarantee trust Concluding remarks THREE Three health system examples Public trust in vaccination What is public trust in vaccination? What builds trust in vaccination? Public trust in non-pharmaceutical interventions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic What is public trust in non-pharmaceutical interventions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic? What builds public trust in non-pharmaceutical interventions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic? Public trust in health data use in health systems What is public trust in health data use in health systems? What builds public trust in health data use in health systems? Concluding remarks Part II What is public trust in the health system? FOUR Where does public trust develop? How misinformation and conspiracy threaten public trust building in the public sphere Public trust develops in the public sphere Concluding remarks FIVE What builds public trust? Theme relating to the past Familiarity Themes relating to the present Active regulatory systems Anonymity Autonomy Gut feeling Information quality Privacy Potential Respect Security Themes relating to the future Certainty about the future Net benefit Time Concluding remarks SIX What are the effects of public trust? Participation Legitimisation Concluding remarks SEVEN What frames public trust? Communication Reason for the need of public trust Risk Fear Human error World-view Religion and afterlife Public mood Trust cannot be expected Concluding remarks Part III How can we foster public trust in the health system? EIGHT How can we build public trust by means of effective health policy and governance? 1. Do not rush trust building 2. Engage with the public 3. Keep the public safe 4. Offer autonomy to the public 5. Plan for diverse trust relationships 6. Recognise that trust is shaped by both emotion and rational thought 7. Represent the public interest 8. Work towards realising a net benefit for the health system and the public Concluding remarks NINE How can we foster public trust by means of effective communications? Understand the present and historical context as well as the actors involved in the health system Understand the mechanisms that are fundamental to building public trust Understand how public trust-building actions are embedded in the wider societal and political context Communicate via credible and reputable spokespersons Make the information easily understandable and tangible, and tailor the information to different target audiences Convene public discussion fora Meaningfully engage and involve responsible actors when developing a consistent communication strategy Provide the opportunity for public engagement and response when developing and implementing communication strategies Consider the potential impact of conspiracy and misinformation on the public trust-building processes Develop a contingency plan for events that diminish public trust Concluding remarks TEN How can we foster public trust through effective observation? Concluding remarks ELEVEN Conclusion How can we evaluate the performance of health policies to build public trust? What is the economic power of public trust in health systems? How does public trust develop in unstable societies? How does public trust develop in international and national health politics? How does history influence trust in present digital health activities? References Index