Black Emerging Adult Preventive Care: The Role of Health Care System Distrust, Trust in Physician, and Usual Source of Care

Abstract

This study examined the role of trust in one's physician and usual source of care on the relationship between health care system distrust and receipt of preventive services among Black emerging adults. The researchers surveyed 323 Black emerging adults. This cross-sectional study design utilized a moderated moderation in IBM SPSS 28 using Hayes’ (2020) PROCESS macro (Model 3). Results revealed that Black emerging adults who did not have a usual source of care and had high trust in their physician had increased preventive service receipt when health care system distrust was low. Further, this relation was not significant for those with a usual source of care. Findings indicated interventions should focus on establishing interpersonal trust with one’s physician to increase Black emerging adults’ engagement in care. Trust in one's own physician could increase engagement in those who do not have a regular site of care, even when distrust in the health care system is high.