Two sides of trust: How cancer survivors’ communication with healthcare providers and on social media predicted healthy behaviors during COVID-19

Objectives

COVID-19 exacerbated pre-existing social inequalities. Using three theories linking clinical and media contexts to patients’ health outcomes, our study investigated (1) potential factors of cancer patients’ trust in healthcare providers and social media; (2) how such trust may influence healthy lifestyles during COVID-19.

Methods

Using structural equation modeling, we investigated effects of key patient-provider communication variables and media factors on healthy behaviors among cancer survivors (N = 1130) using a nationally representative dataset (HINTS-SEER restricted use files, January-July 2021).

Results

More healthy behaviors since COVID-19 began were associated with more trust in healthcare providers, lower trust in social media about COVID-19, and more use of social media for health purposes. More trust in social media about COVID-19 was associated with more use of social media for health purposes (p < .01). More trust in healthcare providers about COVID-19 was associated with increased perceptions of patient-provider communication (p < .01).

Conclusions

Findings can inform interventions to connect at-risk cancer patients (e.g., those younger and with lower educational background) with providers in trust-enhancing conversations during situations like COVID-19.

Practice Implications

Partnership building between providers and patients can be supplemented with scientific videos on popular social media sites like YouTube during public health crises and emergencies.