US Latinos’ Views on Physician Trust: the Impact it has on Quality of Care and Health Outcomes

Interventions that increase access to care for Latinos lack to account for how trust in healthcare providers impact the usage of expanded access. This thesis looks to identify the levels of trust among US Latinos in health care providers, and how those levels of trust impact quality of care and health outcomes. It will start with a detailed explanation of key terms that will be used throughout the text. Next, an overview of the health profile of US Latinos is presented to pinpoint where health inequities exist. After, it will provide historical context on why mistrust in medical providers might exist amongst US Latinos today. It will then look to establish the levels of trust in health care providers among Latinos currently living within the United States, relative to other racial and ethnic groups. Lastly, it will analyze how those levels of trust impact health behaviors, health outcomes, and quality of care for Latinos.