The Price of Trust: Determinants of Trust in Physicians Across 30 Countries

Dr. Branko Ančić, researcher at the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb, is the lead author of the scholarly article “The price of trust: determinants of trust in physicians across 30 countries”, published in the International Journal of Sociology. The article is co-authored by Marko Marelić and Stjepka Popović.

Abstract:
The study examines the factors shaping trust in physicians from a comparative perspective across 30 countries, drawing on data from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) combined with macro-level indicators of healthcare systems and social development. The Institute’s long-standing participation in the ISSP represents a key element of its engagement in international comparative social research.
The findings show that trust in physicians is strongly associated with trust in the healthcare system, satisfaction with physician visits, and perceived quality of care. At the same time, structural factors—such as the level of societal development and healthcare expenditure—also play an important role. The results suggest that trust in physicians is not solely a matter of individual experience, but is deeply embedded in broader institutional and social contexts. The article contributes to a better understanding of cross-national differences in trust in medical professionals and offers relevant insights for health policy and governance.

The article is available at:
https://doi.org/10.1080/00207659.2025.2607265