SUNY Poly Professor Emerita of Sociology Dr. Linda Weber has published new research in Health Care Analysis examining how trust is built and understood within the physician-patient relationship.

Her article, “Constructing a Conceptual Model for Measuring Physician-Patient Trust: Integrating Theory and Research,” brings together foundational sociological theories and existing empirical research to propose a new conceptual framework for studying and measuring patient trust in physicians.

The research identifies seven key dimensions of trust: self-disclosure, communication competence, interpersonal competence, perspective-taking, fidelity, technical competence, and fairness. Importantly, the study finds that self-disclosure and perspective-taking, although significant to an interactional understanding of trust, are largely absent from leading empirical measures, pointing to opportunities for further development in how physician-patient trust is assessed.

By connecting sociological theory with existing approaches to measurement, Dr. Weber’s research provides a framework intended to advance future scholarship on physician-patient trust and deepen understanding of a relationship that is critical to positive health outcomes.

Read Dr. Weber’s Study