Keywords: stereotypes, trust, family medicine

Background:

Trust is a cornerstone of the doctor–patient relationship, especially in family medicine where long-term care is key. Although younger physicians are often seen as less experienced, few studies examine both patient and physician perspectives on trust. This study seeks to fill that gap by exploring mutual perceptions of (dis)trust.

Research questions:

What are the reasons behind patient (dis)trust toward young family medicine doctors, and how do young physicians perceive and cope with this?

Method:

Two anonymous Google Forms surveys were conducted. The questionnaire was developed for this study and validated through a pilot, including analysis of factor structure and internal reliability (Cronbach’s alpha). The first survey involved 50 family medicine doctors aged 25–35, and the second included 100 randomly selected citizens aged 18–75, recruited online. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of open responses.

Results:

Among respondents, age was significantly associated with visit frequency (p=0.011), and female patients demonstrated higher trust in young physicians compared to males (p=0.016). The majority of respondents (71%) expressed trust in young doctors, with 15.8% indicating full confidence, while 6.6% reported distrust, primarily due to concerns about lack of experience and insecure communication. Among physicians, 71% experienced some level of distrust, primarily occasional (44%), though 68% reported it did not affect their clinical decision-making. Most participants agreed that continuous patient interaction and mentorship from experienced colleagues would enhance trust. Gender was significantly linked to distrust frequency (p=0.019), with female physicians reporting it more often.

Conclusions:

Young doctors sometimes face age-related distrust, but it rarely affects their clinical decisions. Most patients, especially women, trust young physicians, while female doctors report distrust more often. Mentorship, communication, and continuity of care are key to building trust and supporting young professionals in family medicine.

Points for discussion: