The impact of risk perception and institutional trust on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in China

Vaccination has become the primary means for citizens to prevent severe morbidity and mortality during the pandemic. However, vaccine hesitancy poses a major threat to global public health security. Based on the data from Chinese General Social Survey in 2021, this study aims to explore the socio-political aspects of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, focusing on the relationship between COVID-19 risk perceptions, institutional trust and vaccine hesitancy. Among the samples, 39.8% of the respondents exhibited COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, 48.9% had a high awareness of the risk of COVID-19, and 74.6% presented a high level of trust in institutions. The results showed that higher risk perception and institutional trust are negatively correlated with vaccine hesitancy (p < .001). Institutional trust had no statistically significant moderating effect on the association between risk perception and vaccine hesitancy, but the role of institutional trust in influencing vaccine hesitancy is more significant at a lower level of perceptions of COVID-19 risk. Furthermore, regional variations in the factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy were demonstrated in China. These findings have important implications for developing strategies to address vaccine hesitancy.

Compliance in the public versus the private realm: Economic preferences, institutional trust and COVID-19 health behaviors

To what extent do economic preferences and institutional trust predict compliance with physical distancing rules during the COVID-19 pandemic? We reexamine this question by introducing the theoretical and empirical distinction between individual health behaviors in the public and in the private domain (e.g., keeping a distance from strangers vs. abstaining from private gatherings with friends). Using structural equation modeling to analyze survey data from Germany's second wave of the pandemic (N = 3350), we reveal the following major differences between compliance in both domains: Social preferences, especially (positive) reciprocity, play an essential role in predicting compliance in the public domain but are barely relevant in the private domain. Conversely, individuals' degree of trust in the national government matters predominantly for increasing compliance in the private domain. The clearly strongest predictor in this domain is the perception pandemic-related threats. Our findings encourage tailoring communication strategies to either domain-specific circumstances or factors common across domains. Tailored communication may also help promote compliance with other health-related regulatory policies beyond COVID-19.

Healthcare reform in the Netherlands: after 15 years of regulated competition

This article discusses the results and prospects of the market reform in Dutch health care which came into force in 2006. Attention is paid to the results of the health insurance reform, the experience with the shift from passive to active purchasing and the impact of the reform on healthcare provision and cost control respectively. Other topics discussed are the consequences of the reform for administrative costs, institutional trust in health insurance, and the power balance in health care after reform. The central message is that the high expectations of the market reform have not come true. Dutch health care features a high degree of hybridity and there are indications that the system is becoming ever more hybrid: the system operates much less market-like than the market frame suggests. Currently, the policy narrative on the reform is changing. Policymakers and policy documents underscore the need for cooperation in provider networks and more state direction. The Dutch experience with health care reform illustrates the pendulum theory. After a period of a belief in competition and less state direction the pendulum in policymaking swings back to a belief in cooperation and a pro-active role of the state.

Residential mobility and psychological transformation in China: From relational to institutional trust

As one of the important drivers of social change in China, residential mobility has caused a dramatic change in the interpersonal environment, but it remained little known how residential mobility would influence the basis of interpersonal interaction-trust. The present research aimed to explore the effect of residential mobility on two kinds of trust, relational trust and institutional trust, by two studies. Study 1 explored the correlational relationship between regional residential mobility and two kinds of trust using data from the China General Social Survey 2010 and the Sixth National Population Census of China, and analyzed the data using hierarchical linear modeling. Study 2 switched to the individual level and investigated the causal relationship between individual residential mobility and two kinds of trust in the laboratory using the writing task for priming residential mobility and the situational selection task for trust. Study 1 found that individuals exhibited lower relational trust when they lived in a region of higher residential mobility. For institutional trust, the indicator about the permission to register household in inflow cities could significantly positively predict this. Study 2 found that the primed mindset of high (vs. low) residential mobility reduces relational trust and enhances institutional trust. In conclusion, the present research revealed that residential mobility promotes the transformation of individuals' trust mode from relational to institutional trust in social life, thus expanding the research field of residential mobility as a socioecological factor and extended the understanding of psychological transformation under the background of social change in China.

The mediating effect of institutional trust in the relationship between precarity and conspiracy beliefs: A conceptual replication of Adam-Troian et al. (2023)

The paper reports the results of registered conceptual replications of the indirect effect of institutional trust in the relationship between precarity and the endorsement of conspiracy beliefs (CB). The original study of Adam-Troian et al. (2023; British Journal of Social Psychology, 62(S1), 136-159) indicated that subjective appraisals of economic hardship are associated with lower trust in governments and institutions, which in turn is associated with stronger endorsement of CB. Our Studies 1 to 3 report a series of replications using Slovak panel data. Study 4 reports a replication of the mediation model using data from the European Social Survey Round 10 collected in 17 countries. To provide a quantitative synthesis of these and previous results, we conducted mini meta-analysis (N = 50,340). Although the strength of the observed relationships differed across the studies to some degree, the original patterns of relations remained robust, supporting the original model. The study corroborates the view that to curb the spread of CB, it is necessary to address structural issues, such as growing financial insecurity, socioeconomic inequalities, and the deficit of institutional trust. Finally, we discuss the role of cultural and political settings in conditioning the mechanisms through which precarity enhances the endorsement of CB.

Inappropriate Journal Authorship

In their article “Authorship Disputes in Scholarly Biomedical Publications and Trust in the Research Institution” in the July 2023 issue of RMMJ, Ashkenazi and Olsha examined the association between the prevalence of misattributed authorship and trust in the institution analyzing misconduct in their scholarly publications. The authors, appropriately, include “gift authorship” as one of the three principal deviations from appropriate authorship choices that they examined. In essence, gift or honorary authorship is listing an author on a scholarly publication for which that person’s contribution did not justify assigning authorship. This behavior has become commonplace.

Trust and Psychosomatic Complaints in Adolescence: Findings From a Swedish Cohort Study

Objectives: To examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between generalised and institutional trust and psychosomatic complaints in mid and late adolescence. Methods: Data were derived from the Swedish cohort study Futura01, using survey information collected amongst 3,691 grade 9 students (∼15-16 years, t1) who were followed-up 2 years later (∼17-18 years, t2). Registry information on sociodemographic characteristics was linked to the data. Linear regression analyses were performed. The longitudinal analyses applied the first difference (FD) approach as well as the lagged dependent variable (LDV) approach. Covariates included gender, family type, parental education, parental country of birth, and upper secondary programme. Results: Higher levels of generalised and institutional trust were cross-sectionally associated with lower levels of psychosomatic complaints at both time points. The FD analyses showed that increases in generalised and in institutional trust between ages 15-16 and 17-18 years were associated with corresponding decreases in psychosomatic complaints. The LDV analyses demonstrated reciprocal temporal associations between trust and psychosomatic complaints. Conclusion: The findings indicate that trust is a social determinant of psychosomatic complaints in adolescents, but also that health may affect trust.

The Influence of Social Media and Institutional Trust on Vaccine Hesitancy in France: Examining Direct and Mediating Processes

Vaccine hesitancy (VH) remains an ongoing challenge in French society. This project explored how institutional trust and preference for information via social media (PISM) drive hesitancy. Across a large, nationally represented population, our findings show that PISM and trust are strongly correlated measures, with both independently predicting VH. Subsequent mediation tests show that social media operates as primarily an indirect contributor to VH through trust. Additional tests involving VH and non-VH typologies revealed that institutional trust consistently predicts greater general support for vaccines and reduced distrust in vaccination. Conversely, PISM directly drives vaccine distrust, with its impact on non-hesitancy fully mediated by institutional trust. Overall, these findings point to the relevance for researchers and public health deciders to address the nature by which people utilize social media information resources and how that interacts with levels of trust for national institutions.

COVID-19 and Masking Disparities: Qualitative Analysis of Trust on the CDC's Facebook Page

This exploratory paper examines individual levels of risk assessment as impacting institutional trust in the CDC while also contributing to disparities in expressed willingness to mask early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Using both content and thematic analysis of the CDC's Facebook (FB) page from April 2020 and Gidden's modern risk society theory, I consider how social media (SM) users retrospectively perceived a dramatic change in public health (PH) advisory-from the CDC advising against masking in February 2020 (Time 1) to advising the use of "do-it-yourself" (DIY) cloth masking in April 2020 (Time 2)-through a lens of prior, self-guided research. Expressed "knowledge" of masking as preventative (or not) yielded unwavering and sometimes increasing distrust in the CDC based on user perception of the "correct" advisory, regardless of the CDC's position at Time 1 or Time 2. Simultaneously, disparities in masking behaviors appeared to be driven not by CDC guidance but by this same self-guided research. I show this via three themes: (1) claims of ineffectiveness for DIY masking (do not trust CDC now-no masking from the start); (2) conflict between the first and second CDC advisories on masking (do not trust CDC-either already masking anyway or will now); (3) disappointed in the CDC for length of time taken to make a DIY mask recommendation (do not trust CDC-either already masking anyway or will mask now). I discuss the imperative nature of two-way engagement with SM users by PH rather than using SM as a one-way mode of advisory dissemination. This and other recommendations may decrease disparities in preventative behaviors based on individual-level risk assessment as well as increase institutional trust and transparency.

Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Mozambique: The role of institutional trust

Background

Vaccination plays an imperative role in protecting public health and preventing avoidable mortality. Yet, the reasons for vaccine hesitancy in African countries are not well understood. This study investigates the factors associated with the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine in Mozambique, with a focus on the role of institutional trust.

Methods

The data came from the three waves of the COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey which followed a cohort of 1,371 adults in Mozambique over six months (N=3,809). We examined vaccine acceptance based on three measurements: willingness to take vaccine, perceived vaccine efficacy, and perceived vaccine safety. We conducted multilevel regression analysis to investigate the trajectories of, and the association between institutional trust and vaccine acceptance.

Results

One third of the survey participants (37%) would definitely take the vaccine. Meanwhile, 31% believed the vaccine would prevent the COVID-19 infection, and 27% believed the vaccine would be safe. There was a significant decrease in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance between waves 1 and 3 of the survey. Institutional trust was consistently and strongly correlated with different measures of vaccine acceptance. There was a greater decline in vaccine acceptance in people with lower institutional trust. The positive correlation between institutional trust and vaccine acceptance was stronger in younger than older adults. Vaccine acceptance also varied by gender and marital status.

Conclusions

Vaccine acceptance can be volatile even over short periods of time. Institutional trust is a central driver of vaccine acceptance and contributes to the resilience of the health system. Our study highlights the importance of health communication and building a trustful relationship between the general public and the institutions in the context of a global pandemic.

Institutional trust, scientific literacy, and information sources: What factors determine people's attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines of different origins in China?

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the different attitudes of Chinese residents toward COVID-19 vaccines produced in China and the United States in an emergency context, and then explored possible explanations for these different attitudes.

Methods

Using data collected online in May 2021, we compared Chinese citizens' attitudes toward vaccines originating from China and the US and then adopted ordered logistic models to examine how trust in institutions, scientific literacy, and information sources influence their attitudes toward different vaccines.

Results

A total of 2038 respondents completed the survey. Participants reported very different levels of trust in Chinese and American vaccines. The main finding of this paper is that individuals who trust in Chinese institutions, especially those who trust in domestic scientists, typically feel encouraged to also place their trust in domestic vaccines and to distrust those from the US. These individuals' higher evaluation of Chinese government performance makes them more willing to vaccinate with domestic vaccines and less likely to seek US vaccines. Levels of scientific literacy, furthermore, seem to have little influence on attitudes toward different vaccines. Meanwhile, respondents who acquire health information from biomedical journals are more likely to hold a positive view of US vaccines, and these individuals contribute to bridging the gap between levels of trust in Chinese and US vaccines.

Conclusions

In contrast with previous findings about Chinese attitudes toward imported vaccines, our respondents are more convinced of the safety and effectiveness of domestic vaccines than of US ones. This trust gap does not arise out of actual disparity in the quality and safety of the different vaccines per se. Instead, it is a cognition concern that is closely bound up with individuals' trust in domestic institutions. People's attitudes toward vaccines of different origins in an emergency context are more influenced by socio-political beliefs than by concern with objective information and knowledge.

Protective and Overprotective Behaviors against COVID-19 Outbreak: Media Impact and Mediating Roles of Institutional Trust and Anxiety

This study aims to explore how pandemic-related media use relates to both protective and overprotective behaviors and to probe the underlying mechanisms. The data were collected online during the early outbreak of COVID-19 in China, and a total of 1118 valid cases, which covered the 30 provincial administrative divisions in mainland China, were collected. Results showed that official government media use was positively associated with protective behaviors and institutional trust was an important mediator. Commercial media use was also found to be positively associated with overprotective behavior, and anxiety mediated this relationship. Findings of this study suggested that different media sources could play completely different roles. Institutional trust in government institutions and medical care systems were equally critical in translating the media effect into public compliance with the preventive measures advocated by the relevant departments. Media outlets and practitioners should also be responsible in order to avoid causing unnecessary anxiety among the public so as to reduce irrational overprotective behaviors.

Institutional trust and prosocial behavior in China: an experimental approach

We present three studies to demonstrate the important role of institutional trust in promoting prosocial behavior in China. In study 1, we used a Chinese national survey and found that institutional trust significantly predicted people's donation and volunteer activities. In study 2, we experimentally examined the effects of institutional trust in public goods games. Participants allocated more money to public accounts when a positive impression of institutions was implicitly activated than when a negative impression or no concepts were activated. In study 3, we tested the effects of institutional trust in a field experiment with a "pay what you want" strategy. In a charity bazaar, participants who received leaflets that implicitly activated institutional concepts paid more money.

The Role of Economic Stress, Health Concerns, and Institutional Trust in Supporting Public Protests against COVID-19 Lockdown Measures in Denmark

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, most governments around the world have adopted strict COVID-19 lockdown measures. In Denmark, mainly from January to March 2021, an anonymous protest group called Men in Black organized demonstrations against the Danish COVID-19 lockdown measures in the three major cities in Denmark. Based on an online survey that we carried out in March 2021 in the Danish population aged 16 years and above (n = 2692), we analyze the individual-level factors behind supporting these demonstrations. Based on ordered logit regressions, the results show that being Muslim and being self-employed (business owner) was positively related to supporting the demonstrations, and that age and living in a city municipality was negatively related to supporting the demonstrations. Based on structural equation modeling (SEM), the results showed that the municipal COVID-19 incidence rate mediates the effect of living in a city municipality, that institutional trust mediates the effect of being Muslim, and that COVID-19 health concerns and institutional trust mediate the effect of age. Overall, economic stress among business owners, health concerns, and institutional trust were found to be the main predictors of supporting the demonstrations against the COVID-19 lockdown measures in Denmark.

Combating COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Synthetic Public Segmentation Approach for Predicting Vaccine Acceptance

OBJECTIVE

Vaccine hesitancy impacts the ability to cope with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) effectively in the United States. It is important for health organizations to increase vaccine acceptance. Addressing this issue, this study aimed to predict citizens' acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine through a synthetic approach of public segmentation including cross-situational and situational variables. Controlling for demographics, we examined institutional trust, negative attitudes toward, and low levels of knowledge about vaccines (ie, lacuna public characteristics), and fear of COVID-19 during the pandemic. Our study provides a useful framework for public segmentation and contributes to risk and health campaigns by identifying significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.

METHOD

We conducted an online survey on October 10, 2020 (N = 499), and performed hierarchical regression analyses to predict citizens' COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.

RESULTS

This study demonstrated that trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and federal government, vaccine attitude, problem recognition, constraint recognition, involvement recognition, and fear positively predicted COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.

CONCLUSIONS

This study outlines a useful synthetic public segmentation framework and extends the concept of lacuna public to the pandemic context, helping to predict vaccine acceptance. Importantly, the findings could be useful in designing health campaign messages.

Social capital and the COVID-19 pandemic threat: The Russian experience

Social capital is an important resource for the wellbeing of both the individual and society. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many studies have been conducted to explore the role of social capital in coping with the negative consequences of the pandemic. However, how the pandemic itself can affect the social capital of people has yet to be studied. Try to fill this gap, we aimed at testing the association between the individually perceived coronavirus threat and such indicators of social capital as general social trust, institutional trust, and the quality of various types of people's social relationships (with family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, residents of a locality, residents of a country). Data were collected in different regions of the Russian Federation for a convenience sample of 500 respondents. The study found that the individually perceived coronavirus threat was positively associated with institutional trust, but not with general social trust. Moreover, this covariation was moderated by age: an institutional trust-threat relation emerged only in older respondents with an average age of around 60, but not in younger participants. Furthermore, the study found that perceived coronavirus threat was associated with closer relationships in the family, but simultaneously with an increased distance in relations with neighbors and residents of the respondents' locality. In summary, the study indicated that "strong" ties (i.e., with family, colleagues, and friends) either remained unchanged or were intensified in the face of the pandemic threat, whereas "weak" ties (i.e., with neighbors, residents of the same locality, and fellow citizens) tended to weaken even more.

Farmers' Preference for Participating in Rural Solid Waste Management: A Case Study from Shaanxi Province, China

Rural solid waste management is an important method to improve rural living environments. Farmers' participation in rural solid waste management plays an essential role in sustainable waste management. Based on the micro-survey data of 592 farmers in Shaanxi province, a multinomial logit model was applied to explore farmers' preferences for participating in rural solid waste management. The empirical results show that both institutional and interpersonal trust have significant positive effects on farmers' payment participation, and labor and payment participation. Among environmental awareness, farmers with pro-environmental behavior prefer labor participation, and labor and payment participation; the more environmental knowledge farmers have, the stronger their preferences for payment participation, labor and payment participation, and labor participation; farmers concerned about environmental problems are more inclined to adopt labor and payment participation or payment participation. For socio-demographic characteristics, gender has no significant influence, while agricultural net income and education can significantly increase farmers' willingness to participate; farmers who have migrant work experience prefer to participate in payment; there are obvious intergenerational differences in the influence of social trust and environmental awareness on farmers' participation preference. Therefore, providing diversified participation modes, creating a good social trust environment, and enhancing farmers' awareness of environmental care are important in promoting rural solid waste management.

Paranoid beliefs and conspiracy mentality are associated with different forms of mistrust: A three-nation study

Paranoia and conspiracy are terms typically used interchangeably. However, although the underlying content of these types of beliefs might be similar (e.g., seeing others as powerful and threatening), recent research suggests that these constructs differ in important ways. One important feature shared by both constructs is excessive mistrust but this aspect might play different roles in each belief system. In this study we explored the strength of associations of different trust predictors (i.e., trust in institutions, trust in sources of information, perceptual trust, and interpersonal trust) between conspiracy mentality and paranoid beliefs. We tested this association in a large representative multinational sample (United Kingdom n = 2025; Spain n = 1951; and Ireland n = 1041). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor model of conspiracy and paranoid beliefs in each nation sample. Path and equality of constraints analysis revealed that paranoia was more strongly associated with perceptual mistrust (bias towards mistrusting unfamiliar faces) whereas conspiracy was more strongly associated with mistrust in political institutions. Although interpersonal mistrust and trust in social sources of information were associated significantly with conspiracy their association with paranoid beliefs was stronger. These findings clarify the role of different trust processes in both belief systems. Limitations of this study are discussed.

COVID-19 infection prevention and control procedures and institutional trust: Perceptions of Palestinian healthcare workers

Background

Lack of trust in institutional control measures during Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks may affect healthcare workers' (HCWs) levels of stress and wellbeing, and as a consequence, may influence their trust and confidence in their organization. This study aims to understand factors associated with healthcare workers perceptions of trust in organizational preparedness, communication, and infection risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs (n = 876) in 16 COVID 19 healthcare facilities between October and December 2020 in Palestine (Gaza Strip, West Bank and East Jerusalem). A stratified purposive sample using an online self-administered Arabic version of a questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire used for this study was adapted from the World Health Organization Blueprint Novel Coronavirus Perceptions of healthcare workers regarding local infection prevention and control procedures for a COVID-19 research protocol.Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 23. In the bivariate analysis, T-test, one-way ANOVA and χ2 test were used at a significant p-value < 0.05. In the multivariable logistic regression analyses, the adjusted odds ratios and its 95% confidence intervals are presented.

Results

Findings showed that confidence in the systems' ability to manage COVID-19 cases, encouragement and support from senior medical/nursing staff to apply recommended IPC measures, and good levels of mental health increased trust in the organization. Additionally, receiving proper training on IPC procedures for other communicable diseases, having access to clear policies and procedures related to IPC procedures for COVID-19, and providing PPE during the previous clinical shift also increased trust. However, the intention to use recommended PPE when treating patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 when having access to it and feeling emotional was negatively correlated with this trust.

Conclusions

HCWs should be provided with clear, accessible communications about policies and protocols, as well as training about infection prevention and control, personal protective equipment, and support during pandemics to increase their trust in the healthcare system. Additionally, the improvement in HCWs' wellbeing can be attributed to a greater sense of trust in institutions.

Value Orientations and Institutional Trust as Contributors to the Adoption of Online Services in Youth: A Cross-Country Comparison

Internet usage data from around the globe show that adolescents are the most frequent Internet users, but mostly for leisure activities and maintaining social contacts. In the present study, we focused on Internet use for e-services, which could improve youth efficiency in the financial domain (responsible consumer behaviour) and bridge the online divide in youth. Specifically, we explored how societal constructs (namely, institutional trust and personal values) influence the use of the Internet for online shopping, e-banking and communication with providers of goods and services online. We used a representative sample of adolescents (N = 10.902) from 10 countries of Southeast Europe where a great variability in Internet use is present, and where the use of e-services is generally lower than the EU average. This also allowed for meaningful cross-country comparisons. We tested a structural equation model of values predicting the use of the Internet through institutional trust (including some relevant demographic variables such as settlement size, SES and Internet use frequency) which was grounded in social capital theory, cultural theory and Schwartz human values model. The model exhibited a good fit to the data but the strengths of regressional paths were rather modest. Looking into the cross-country stability of the model, however, revealed some notable differences: while the relationship between trust and use of the Internet for e-services was modest in some countries, the relationship was insignificant in other countries, where Internet usage is lower in general. This suggests that strategies aimed at leveraging e-services and digital technology potential in youth should also account for cultural specificities in the transitional economies and cultural settings with sub-optimal adoption of digital services.

Local Impact of Global Crises, Institutional Trust, and Consumer Well-Being: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Global crises have become increasingly more frequent and consequential. Yet the impact of these crises is unevenly distributed across countries, leading to discrepancies in (inter)national crisis-regulating institutions’ ability to uphold public trust and safeguard their constituents’ well-being. Employing the paradigm of citizens as customers of political institutions, drawing on attribution and sociopolitical trust theories, and using the COVID-19 pandemic as an empirical context, the authors investigate how consumers’ relative perceptions of local impact following a global crisis affect the psychological processes of institutional trust formation and consumer well-being. Conducting one survey-based study in two countries affected disproportionately by the pandemic’s first wave (the United States and Greece) and one experimental study in a third country (Italy) during the pandemic’s second wave, the authors find that institutional trust declines more in countries whose citizens hold perceptions of higher relative local impact following a global crisis; institutional blame attributions explain trust erosion; institutional distrust decreases consumer well-being and adherence to institutional guidelines; consumers’ globalization attitudes immunize international institutions from blame and distrust; and political conservatives transfer blame and distrust from national to international institutions amid global crises. The findings enrich the institutional branding and trust literatures and have implications for stakeholders involved in global crisis management (e.g., policy makers, political marketers, institutional brand managers).

Just a Flu? Self-perceived infection mediates the link between conspiracy beliefs and Covid-19 health beliefs and behaviors

The Covid-19 pandemic has inspired many conspiracy theories, which are associated with detrimental health beliefs and behaviors (e.g. reduced physical distancing; decreased vaccination intentions). We propose a previously unrecognized mediator of these relationships: A self-perceived likelihood to already have experienced a Covid-19 infection. Results from a large sample (N = 9033) revealed that self-perceived infections mediated the link between conspiracy beliefs and health beliefs and behaviors. These findings emerged independently of institutional distrust, and actual infections as indicated by a positive medical test. These findings suggest that conspiracy beliefs shape people's interpretation of the physical signals of their own body.

The role of institutional trust in preventive practices and treatment-seeking intention during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak among residents in Hubei, China

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the association between institution trust and public responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

METHODS

An Internet-based, cross-sectional survey was administered on 29 January 2020. A total of 4393 adults ≥18 y of age and residing or working in the province of Hubei, central China were included in the study.

RESULTS

The majority of the participants expressed a great degree of trust in the information and preventive instructions provided by the central government compared with the local government. Being under quarantine (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.35 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.80 to 3.08]) and having a high institutional trust score (OR 2.23 [95% CI 1.96 to 2.53]) were both strong and significant determinants of higher preventive practices scores. The majority of study participants (n=3640 [85.7%]) reported that they would seek hospital treatment if they suspected themselves to have been infected with COVID-19. Few of the participants from Wuhan (n=475 [16.6%]) and those participants who were under quarantine (n=550 [13.8%]) expressed an unwillingness to seek hospital treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Institutional trust is an important factor influencing adequate preventive behaviour and seeking formal medical care during an outbreak.

To Be (Vaccinated) or Not to Be: The Effect of Media Exposure, Institutional Trust, and Incentives on Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccination

The COVID-19 vaccine has become a strategic vehicle for reducing the spread of the pandemic. However, the uptake of the vaccine by the public is more complicated than simply making it available. Based on social learning theory, this study examines the role of communication sources and institutional trust as barriers and incentives as motivators of people's attitudes toward vaccination and actual vaccination. Data were collected via an online panel survey among Israelis aged 18-55 and then analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings show that social media trust negatively mediates the effect of exposure to information on the vaccine on attitudes toward vaccination. However, mass media trust and institutional trust positively mediate this relationship. Incentives were effective motivators for forming positive attitudes and moderating the effect of institutional trust on attitude toward vaccination. This study facilitates a deeper understanding of health communication theory in pandemics and makes important recommendations for practitioners and policy makers.

Intolerance of Uncertainty and Tendency to Worry as Mediators Between Trust in Institutions and Social Support and Fear of Coronavirus and Consequences of the Pandemic

The aim of this article is to formulate and test a model integrating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) findings regarding the importance of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and tendency to worry with findings regarding the importance of trust in institutions, other people, and social support. We assumed that trust in institutions, other people, and social support reduce fear of the coronavirus and of the consequences of the pandemic in a direct way, but also indirectly by enhancing one’s sense of control and diminishing the tendency to worry which, further, attenuates fear of the coronavirus and fear of the consequences of the pandemic. An online survey was conducted among the Serbian general population (N = 1409, 78.1% female, M = 38.82, SD = 9.24) at the end of April 2020, which included questionnaires on fear of SARS-CoV-2, fear of consequences of the pandemic, social support, trust in other people and trust in political and health institutions. The model has been validated by data from our study suggesting that it represents one possible pattern of interrelationships between social and intrapsychic variables in the pandemic situation. Results also showed that the COVID-19 related fears are related more strongly to intrapsychic variables – IU and tendency to worry – than to variables operationalizing social context relevant for coping with pandemic at the social and individual level.

Effect of Institutional Trust on Consumers' Health and Safety Perceptions and Repurchase Intention for Traceable Fresh Food

Numerous food safety incidents have gained public attention and motivated consumers to seek safer and healthier products. Some governments have responded by enacting legislation to regulate the traceability of agricultural products and enhance food safety. To elucidate factors that affect consumers’ health and safety perceptions and repurchase intention for certified traceable fresh food, this study applied institutional trust theory to explore the effects of institutional trust (i.e., trust in government, certification organizations, producers, and retailers) on consumers’ food safety and health perceptions and repurchase intention. This study was conducted in Taiwan and enrolled 393 consumers who purchased certified traceable fresh food as survey participants. Structural equation modeling and multiple and stepwise regression analysis were performed for data analysis. The results indicated that trust in government, certification organizations, food producers, and food retailers was positively related to food safety perception; trust in certification organizations, food producers, and food retailers directly influenced food healthiness perception, whereas trust in government did not have a direct influence. Furthermore, trust in certification organizations and food producers influenced repurchase intention, whereas trust in government and food retailers did not. Based on these results, the current study provides some practical suggestions for traceable fresh food marketers to use institutional trust to improve consumers’ food health and safety perceptions and repurchase intention.

Influence of Interpersonal and Institutional Trust on the Participation Willingness of Farmers in E-Commerce Poverty Alleviation

To explore the influence of interpersonal trust and institutional trust on the participation willingness of farmers in e-commerce poverty alleviation in China, a questionnaire survey of 320 farmers in Chongqing Ecological Tourism District was adopted for data collection, and a binary logistic model was used for data analysis. The results showed that (1) both interpersonal trust and institutional trust had a positive influence on the participation behavior of farmers in e-commerce poverty alleviation, and the priority ranking from high to low was: trust in government, trust in relatives, trust in neighbors, and trust in village cadres. (2) Institutional trust had a greater impact on the participation behavior of farmers than interpersonal trust, especially in the poverty-stricken areas where economic development was relatively backward. (3) Individual attributes, household attributes, and rural resource attributes had a significant positive impact on the participation intention of farmers. Among these, the role of rural e-business service platform was particularly important. The role of institutional trust at the village level still did not perform well in promoting the participation willingness of farmers. Based on empirical analysis, the suggestions for promoting the active cooperation of farmers and participating in the cooperation of e-business were put forward, such as enhancing the interpersonal network of farmers, improving the rural e-commerce information service platform, and strengthening the construction of the rural business environment.

Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic through institutional trust: Rally effects, compensatory control, and emotions

OBJECTIVE

Exogenous shocks trigger rally effects, leading the public opinion toward increased trust in institutions. Rally effects have an important social function because they help society react to shocks rapidly and efficiently as a single unit and cohesively face the threat. However, little is known about the individual functions that these effects fulfil. In this study, we aimed to analyze the individual functions of the rally effect.

METHOD

In a three-wave longitudinal study on a quota sample of the Italian adult population (N = 1070), we analyzed the individual consequences of the increase in institutional trust triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

A path analysis showed that increased trust in political, super partes and international institutions fostered well-being, reducing anxiety, collective angst, and anger via the mediation of participants' perceived control over their lives.

CONCLUSION

Beyond their well-known social functions, rally effects fulfil the individual function of favoring people's psychological well-being.

Perceived quality of primary healthcare services and its association with institutional trust among caregivers of persons diagnosed with a severe mental illness in China

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT

Low utilization of the family-oriented community rehabilitation services is a threatening challenge facing low- and middle- income countries. Family caregiver's trust in community healthcare providers is the precondition of service utilization and is shaped by their perceived quality of primary healthcare services from previous experience. Most of the studies concerning the relationship between perceived quality and institutional trust were conducted in western countries, resulting in limited attention paid to conditions in non-western countries. Which aspect of quality predicts institutional trust in China has not been studied yet.

WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE

In China's context, institutional trust was generally associated with communication, worry relief and risk of privacy leak, but not with technical competence. Significant rural-urban disparity was observed: among rural respondents, institutional trust was associated with technical competence, communication and risk of privacy leak, but not with worry relief; institutional trust was only associated with worry relief in urban respondents.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Mental health nurses training or working with community healthcare workers may improve their technical and communicative competence. Priorities may differ between rural and urban areas. Mental health nurses or community healthcare workers may provide more family-oriented psycho-education to rural families, and more emotional support to urban families. Wider public anti-stigma initiatives are needed to reduce the affiliated stigma of families of persons diagnosed with a severe mental illness.

ABSTRACT

Introduction Prior studies suggested that caregiver's trust in community healthcare providers is the precondition of the utilization of community-based rehabilitation services and is shaped by their perceived quality of primary healthcare services. Nevertheless, the research conducted in non-western countries is scarce, and which aspect of quality is associated with institutional trust in China has not been studied. Aim To explore the association between perceived quality of primary healthcare services and institutional trust in China's context. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with 796 family caregivers from Eastern, Central and Western China between August 2018 and October 2019. Perceived quality of primary healthcare services was measured by technical competence, communication, worry relief and risk of privacy leak. Results Institutional trust was generally associated with communication, worry relief and risk of privacy leak, but not with technical competence. Among rural respondents, institutional trust was associated with technical competence, communication and risk of privacy leak, but not with worry relief. Contrary finding was observed in urban respondents. Discussion and implications for practice With rural-urban disparity considered, strategies such as improving the technical and communicative competence of community healthcare workers, providing family-oriented psycho-education and emotional support, and promoting public anti-stigma initiatives may be worth consideration.

Tobacco Harm Reduction as a Path to Restore Trust in Tobacco Control

The controversy of tobacco harm reduction in the United States persists despite evidence that an important audience of tobacco prevention and control, i.e., the people who use or are likely to use nicotine and tobacco products, are engaging in practices that may be considered harm reduction. Despite this, a significant proportion of the US tobacco control and prevention field continues to be guided by a precept that there is "no safe tobacco," therefore failing to acknowledge practices that may be used to reduce the harms associated with consuming combustible forms of nicotine and tobacco. In this commentary, we argue that ignoring the potential benefits of harm reduction strategies may unintentionally lead to an erosion of trust in tobacco control among some members of the public. Trust in tobacco control as an institution is crucial for the success of tobacco control efforts. To ensure trust, we must return to our basic principles of doing no harm, developing programs that are responsive to people's experiences, and providing resources in assisting people to reduce the harms that may be associated with practices, such as smoking, which adversely affect health. Only by respecting an individual's priorities can we cultivate trust and develop tobacco prevention efforts that are grounded in the realities of people's lives and responsive to their needs.

The role of institutional trust in preventive practices and treatment-seeking intention during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak among residents in Hubei, China

Background

We aimed to investigate the association between institution trust and public responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

Methods

An Internet-based, cross-sectional survey was administered on 29 January 2020. A total of 4393 adults ≥18 y of age and residing or working in the province of Hubei, central China were included in the study.

Results

The majority of the participants expressed a great degree of trust in the information and preventive instructions provided by the central government compared with the local government. Being under quarantine (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.35 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.80 to 3.08]) and having a high institutional trust score (OR 2.23 [95% CI 1.96 to 2.53]) were both strong and significant determinants of higher preventive practices scores. The majority of study participants (n=3640 [85.7%]) reported that they would seek hospital treatment if they suspected themselves to have been infected with COVID-19. Few of the participants from Wuhan (n=475 [16.6%]) and those participants who were under quarantine (n=550 [13.8%]) expressed an unwillingness to seek hospital treatment.

Conclusions

Institutional trust is an important factor influencing adequate preventive behaviour and seeking formal medical care during an outbreak.

Perception of Risk, Self-Efficacy and Social Trust during the Diffusion of Covid-19 in Italy

The Coronavirus pandemic has affected the lives of people all over the world. The perception of risk and people's consequent behaviour during a pandemic are very complex and are affected by multiple cultural and psychological factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the change in risk perception, perceived self-efficacy and the perceived trust in the behaviour of others, the decisions of health authorities and government provisions, as well as the variation of self-restraint behaviours during the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic in Italy. We used a convenience sample of 707 university students (Mage = 22.99; SD = 4.01) from a central area of Italy. Participants freely joined the research by answering an online questionnaire between February and March 2020. Three time intervals defined by the progressive containment measures implemented by the Italian Government were considered. Main outcome measures were the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, the Risk Perception Index, the Index of Self-restraint Behaviours, and Institutional and Interpersonal Trust Measures. Results confirmed that significant changes in the time progression have occurred in the perception of risk, in the perception of individual self-efficacy, in the value attributed to social responsibility, in interpersonal trust and in trust in health authorities. The study also identified the participants' personality traits and locus of control as predictors (positive and negative) of perceived self-efficacy and tested a mediation model of trust on the effect of risk perception on self-restraint intentions.

Trust in the jury system: a comparison of Australian and U.S. samples

Public trust in the criminal justice system, including the jury system, is important for maintaining a democracy that is fair for all citizens. However, there is little research on trust in the jury system generally and even less cross-country comparison research specifically. Trust in the jury system might relate to other legal attitude measures (e.g., authoritarianism). This study identified the degree to which trust in the jury system relates to legal attitudes and compared perceptions of trust between the U.S. and Australia. Community members completed a survey that included measures of trust in the jury system and legal attitudes. The U.S. sample had higher levels of trust in juries than the Australian sample. In both samples, just world beliefs and legal authoritarianism were positively related to trust. Results have both theoretical and practical implications regarding legal attitudes, trust in the jury system, and public opinions of juries in each country.

Institutional Trust and Compliance with Measures to Fight COVID-19

The paper investigates the causal relationship between the trust in institutions and compliance with measures introduced to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in Slovakia. In addition, the impact of socio-economic characteristics on compliance with introduced measures was analysed. Data were obtained from a survey carried out by the Slovak Academy of Sciences on a representative sample of the Slovak population of 1,000 respondents. To derive the causal relationship between institutional trust and compliance behaviour, a probit regression model was used. Findings suggest that trust in public institutions helps to increase compliance with social distancing. In addition, some socio-economic characteristics such as employment status, age or whether individuals felt endangered by COVID-19 had a positive and statistically significant effect on compliance with measures used to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Institutional trust did not have a statistically significant effect on compliance with face-covering measures.

Subjective well-being and mental health during the pandemic outbreak: Exploring the role of institutional trust

This study examined the relationship between material adversities due to pandemic crisis, institutional trust, and subjective well-being and mental health among middle-aged and older adults aged 50+ in Europe. The study used a cross-sectional design to examine Eurofound COVID-19 survey data collected from 27 European countries in April 2020. A total of 31,757 European middle aged and older adults aged 50 + were analyzed (Mean = 59.99, SD = 7.03). Analysis focused on the financial impact and material security in relation to pandemic lockdown, institutional trust (news media, police, national government, European Union, and healthcare system), and subjective well-being and mental health. Regression analysis indicated perceived insecurity in employment and housing, worsening finances, and difficulty paying for basic necessities were significantly related to respondents' life satisfaction, happiness, self-rated health, mental health index, and psychological distress. Institutional trust partially mediated the relationship between perceived adversities and subjective well-being and mental health.

Individual-level variability among trust criteria relevant to zoos and aquariums

Prior research into the conceptual underpinnings of the public's institutional trust in zoos and aquariums has suggested a range of ethical dimensions that set these types of cultural institutions apart from others in the museum sector. As the recognized holders, care-takers, and nurturers of wild animals, zoos and aquariums are sustained at least in part by the public's perception that these activities are legitimate pursuits and essential to the long-term conservation of the natural world. This paper builds on recent research that identified the ethical dimensions of trust in zoos and aquariums and assessed their distribution among the U.S. public by analyzing survey responses with respect to the importance of trust criteria. We hypothesized that distinct clusters of individuals, as defined by their response to trust criteria items, would emerge and that these clusters would prioritize different dimensions in their trust of zoos and aquariums. Using k-means clustering, we identified four relevant clusters of individuals on seven dimensions of institutional trust in zoos and aquariums. Based on these clusters, we suggest strategies for addressing what may be necessary for zoos and aquariums to claim authority as agents promoting conservation behaviors in society.

Public Responses to Policy Reversals: The Case of Mask Usage in Canada during COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in rapid, substantial, and at times contradictory policy changes as public health agencies and government officials react to new information. We examine the implications of such changes for public compliance by drawing on the case of revised guidance on mask usage by asymptomatic individuals. As official recommendations on the use of masks in Canada shift from discouraged to mandatory, we draw on findings from an ongoing public opinion study to explore contemporaneous changes in rates of mask adoption and levels of public trust in government institutions. We find that Canadians exhibit high levels of compliance with changing policies on mask usage and that trust in public health officials remains consistent despite policy change.

Trust After Terror: Institutional Trust Among Young Terror Survivors and Their Parents After the 22nd of July Terrorist Attack on Utøya Island, Norway

In the aftermath of terrorist attacks and disasters, public institutions play an important role in re-establishing safety and justice. However, little is known about the importance of institutional trust for victims' potential for healing in the aftermath of mass trauma. This study examines levels of post-terror trust in the police and in the justice system among young survivors from the 2011 Utøya terror attack and their parents. Furthermore, it investigates how institutional trust develops over time among directly affected populations, and whether it is associated with psychological distress. 325 survivors and 463 parents were interviewed face-to-face at wave one (4-5 months post-terror) and 285 survivors and 435 parents at wave two (14-15 months). Levels of institutional trust in victims were compared to general population data from the European Social Survey adjusted for age, gender, and ethnic background. Measures included trust in the police and justice system, post-traumatic stress reactions, anxiety and depression, and quality of life. Trust in the police among survivors and parents was higher than or comparable to trust levels in the general population at wave one, but decreased for survivors and parents at wave two. Trust in the justice system was higher among those directly affected than in the general population, and increased from wave one to wave two. Levels of institutional trust were negatively associated with distress for survivors in both waves and for parents in wave two. Levels of institutional trust were positively associated with perceived quality of life in parents and survivors. Directly affected groups' institutional trust differed from that of the general population following the terrorist attack, although being directly affected did not necessarily imply weakened institutional trust. This study found trust to be institution specific, however, trust in institutions changed with time, and the passing of time might be an important factor in better understanding whether trust will generalize across institutions or not. Institutional trust was negatively associated with psychological distress. This finding highlights the potential for institutions to create a healing post-disaster environment.

Loss of Trust May Never Heal. Institutional Trust in Disaster Victims in a Long-Term Perspective: Associations With Social Support and Mental Health

Natural disasters, technological disasters, and terrorist attacks have an extensive aftermath, often involving society’s institutions such as the legal system and the police. Victims’ perceptions of institutional trustworthiness may impact their potential for healing. This cross-sectional study investigates institutional trust, health, and social support in victims of a disaster that occurred in 1990. We conducted face-to-face interviews with 184 survivors and bereaved, with a 60% response rate 26 years after the disaster. Levels of trust in the police and in the justice system were compared with general population data. We assessed the relationships between institutional trust and current psychological distress, social support, and life satisfaction. The levels of trust in the police and in the justice system were notably lower in survivors and bereaved than in the general population. Among the victims, low institutional trust was associated with more mental health problems, poorer social support, more barriers to seeking social support, and a lower life satisfaction. Lost trust in the aftermath of a disaster may perhaps never be restored and the lack of trust may act to strengthen or maintain health problems. An exclusively individualistic approach to trauma and disaster may miss out on the opportunities for promoting health and well-being that lies within the larger societal structures. Decision-makers should take this information into account, and acknowledge the potential long-term consequences of institutional performance in the aftermath of a disaster.

Do Research Participants Trust Researchers or Their Institution?

Relationships of trust between research participants and researchers are often considered paramount to successful research; however, we know little about participants' perspectives. We examined whom research participants trusted when taking part in research. Using a qualitative approach, we interviewed 36 research participants, including eight Indigenous participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. This article focuses on findings related to non-Indigenous participants. In contrast to Indigenous participants, non-Indigenous participants placed their trust in research institutions because of their systems of research ethics, their reputation and prestige. Researchers working in non-Indigenous contexts need to be cognizant that the trust that participants place in them is closely connected with the trust that participants have in the institution.

The Effects of General System Justification on Corruption Perception and Intent

Previous research stresses that system justifying belief can weaken corruption perception, by this possibly fostering unjust behaviors. However, general results of the effect of general system justification on corruption are ambiguous, indicating also a lessening impact. We conducted a line of studies trying to elucidate these circumstances by testing the effect of general system justification on corruption perception and intention. In addition, we explored institutional trust as a possible mediator in this process. For this purpose, we conducted three studies. The first two studies examined the association between general system justification and corruption. In Study 1, a correlational design was run using questionnaires to assess the relation between general system justification and corruption perception as well as corruption intention. In Study 2, an experimental design was conducted manipulating general system justification via exposure to high or low system threat condition, then measuring its effect on corruption perception and corrupt intention. In Study 3, two sub-studies using correlational and experimental designs were run to explore the mediating role of institutional trust, respectively. Results replicated former studies showing that general system justification is negatively associated with corruption perception. However, they also showed a negative correlation with corrupt intention. Furthermore, they showed that institutional trust mediated the relation between general system justification and corruption. We suggest to consider these findings to further elucidate the psychological basis underlying different effects of general system justification on human behaviors.

Social capital and immunisation against the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic in Sweden

AIM

To investigate the connection between social capital indicators and immunisation.

METHOD

The national Society Opinion & Media (SOM) survey is an annual cross-sectional postal survey. In 2009, a random sample of persons aged 16-85 was drawn from the Swedish national register and yielded a 59% participation rate. The number of respondents analysed was 2130. A multiple logistic regression model was used to investigate the connection between the explanatory variables institutional trust and generalised trust and the outcome variable immunisation intent. The analyses included sex, age, education, self-rated health, and personal and societal concern about the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic.

RESULTS

For institutional trust in health care, the odds ratios for intention to vaccinate against the A(H1N1) pandemic were significantly higher in the Medium trust and High trust categories as compared to the Low trust reference category. For generalised trust, the odds ratio for vaccination intention was significantly higher in the High trust category as compared to the Low trust reference category.

CONCLUSIONS

Two important social capital indicators - institutional trust in health care and generalised trust - seem to be independently associated with intention to accept vaccination against the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic. The effect holds also when controlling for plausible confounders, such as education, self-rated health, and personal and societal concern about the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic.