The following is a summary of “Trust and virtual communication during the COVID-19 pandemic for adults with asthma from low-income neighborhoods: What have we learned?,” published in the JULY 2023 issue of Allergy & Immunology by Apter, et al.

Low-income and marginalized adults, especially those from minority communities, often experience poor asthma outcomes due to structural racism and healthcare disparities. This can lead to decreased trust in government and healthcare institutions among these populations, impacting their overall health. For a study, researchers sought to investigate whether distrust in healthcare providers extended to healthcare institutions during the pandemic among adults living in low-income neighborhoods with a history of asthma-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, or prednisone courses.

The study enrolled 102 patients aged 18 to 78, primarily Black individuals (90%) and females (87%). Most patients had some post-high school education (60%), and most received Medicaid (57%). Trust and communication were measured using questionnaires with 5-point Likert scale responses. Trust was categorized as “strong” or “weak,” and communication was assessed using a 13-item questionnaire. Logistic regression examined the association between communication and trust, controlling for potential confounding factors.

Before the pandemic, 70 (69%) participants named doctors their most trusted health information source. Strong trust was associated with better communication, specifically a negative response to the statement, “It is hard to reach a person in my doctor’s office by phone.” Overall communication scores did not show evidence of an association with trust. Among those with less trust, satisfaction with virtual messaging was weaker.

The study revealed that patients in low-income neighborhoods trust their physicians and value their advice, but they also emphasized the need for accessible means of communication. Addressing barriers to communication and improving access to healthcare services can help build trust and enhance health outcomes among marginalized populations with asthma.

Source: jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(23)00567-5/fulltext