A Place to Trust: Black Protestant Affiliation and Trust in Personal Physicians

Abstract

Purpose

Past research indicates that blacks are less trusting of physicians than are whites; yet, researchers have not examined within group differences in physician trust by religious denomination – an effort that is complicated by the high correlated nature of race and religion. To better understand black-white differences in physician trust, this chapter examines heterogeneity in trust levels among blacks associated with religious designations that distinguish Black Protestants from other ethnoreligious groups.

Methodology/approach

Using data from the 2002 and 2006 General Social Surveys, this study adopts an intersectional (i.e., race x religion) typology of religious denomination to understand the black-white gap in physician trust. Weighted multivariate linear regression is employed.

Findings

Black-white differences in physician trust are identified only when religious affiliation is considered but not when religious affiliation is omitted. Blacks who are affiliated with Black Protestant churches are more trusting than other religious groups, including Evangelical Protestants, Mainline Protestants, and blacks who are affiliated with other faiths.

Originality/value

This chapter indicates that there is more heterogeneity in trust levels among blacks than between blacks and whites. Moreover, the findings suggest that religion can play an important role in bridging the trust gap between blacks and the medical sciences.

Citation

Sewell, A.A. and Ray, R. (2015), "A Place to Trust: Black Protestant Affiliation and Trust in Personal Physicians", Education, Social Factors, and Health Beliefs in Health and Health Care Services (Research in the Sociology of Health Care, Vol. 33), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 229-249. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0275-495920150000033010