The relationship between trust in primary care physicians and medication knowledge among diabetic patients

Background: Patients' trust in their physicians is critical to ensuring quality in healthcare. Despite the fact that both medication knowledge and trust in healthcare providers positively correlate with improved clinical outcomes, the presence of a link between these two attributes remains to be established.

Objectives: To determine whether a relationship exists between patients' trust in their primary care physicians and their medication knowledge.

Methods: Patient trust was measured using the healthcare relationship (HCR) trust scale, and the medication knowledge by the self-reported medication knowledge questionnaire. Both forms were translated into Arabic by bilingual healthcare professionals. The relationship between the self-reported medication knowledge questionnaire scores and HCR-trust scale scores was determined by multiple linear regression, controlling for confounding variables.

Results: Based on information collected from 293 diabetic patients, a positive relationship was identified between patients' knowledge of medications and their trust in primary care physicians (β = 0.115; 95% confidence interval, 0.076-0.153; p < 0.0001). Medication knowledge was also positively associated with the female sex and education.

Conclusion: A significant relationship exists between the patients' knowledge of their prescription medications and trust placed in their primary care physicians. The underlying mechanism of this association warrants further studies.