Forming Beliefs About Pharmacist Trustworthiness
Forming Beliefs About Pharmacist Trustworthiness
The role of pharmacy experience and argument types in forming beliefs about pharmacist trustworthiness was studied.
Study participants were recruited from three primary care clinics. They were provided a pharmacy scenario that contained information that could be used to form causal and authoritative arguments. The participants rated the trustworthiness of the pharmacist in the scenario on a 10-point, Likert-type scale and provided the arguments used to form the trustworthiness belief. Information that contradicted the pharmacist's trustworthiness was then presented in the form of an addendum, and the participants reassessed the pharmacist's trustworthiness. Participants rated the pharmacist using a Likert-type scale. Responses were coded and analyzed. Initial trustworthiness and posttrustworthiness scores were calculated. Participants' pharmacy experience score was also determined. Reliability and principal components analyses were conducted to determine the quality of the trustworthiness and pharmacy experience scores.
A total of 130 patients participated in the study. There was a positive correlation between pharmacy experience and the number of causal arguments that subjects used to form their beliefs about pharmacist trustworthiness (r = 0.223, p = 0.012). Results of t tests revealed that belief strength was similar among subjects using more causal than authoritative arguments to form beliefs and in those using fewer causal arguments (t = 1.35, p = 0.179), but belief tenacity differed significantly between the groups (t = 2.303, p = 0.023).
The role of external sources in influencing the formation of beliefs about trustworthiness of a pharmacist may be limited as a patient gains pharmacy experience, as experience is based on causal associations. Moreover, causal arguments are correlated with belief tenacity.
Today people have access to a vast array of health information via books, magazines, brochures, the World Wide Web, and television commercials. It is estimated that over 70 million people in the United States search for medical information on the Internet. Health care professionals, including pharmacists, are also providing patients with more information about their medications and diseases. Despite increased access to information, failure to adopt healthy behaviors (e.g., proper diet, exercise, smoking cessation) and noncompliance with medication regimens remain commonplace among patients in the United States. Pharmacists and other health care providers are still challenged with persuading people to adopt healthy behaviors.
It is important for health care providers to influence patients' health beliefs and decisions. Beliefs are the fundamental building blocks of human decision-making and behavior, yet little is known about how patients form beliefs. To influence patients' health beliefs, it is necessary to understand the cognitive process by which they are formed.
The role of pharmacy experience and argument types in forming beliefs about pharmacist trustworthiness was studied.
Study participants were recruited from three primary care clinics. They were provided a pharmacy scenario that contained information that could be used to form causal and authoritative arguments. The participants rated the trustworthiness of the pharmacist in the scenario on a 10-point, Likert-type scale and provided the arguments used to form the trustworthiness belief. Information that contradicted the pharmacist's trustworthiness was then presented in the form of an addendum, and the participants reassessed the pharmacist's trustworthiness. Participants rated the pharmacist using a Likert-type scale. Responses were coded and analyzed. Initial trustworthiness and posttrustworthiness scores were calculated. Participants' pharmacy experience score was also determined. Reliability and principal components analyses were conducted to determine the quality of the trustworthiness and pharmacy experience scores.
A total of 130 patients participated in the study. There was a positive correlation between pharmacy experience and the number of causal arguments that subjects used to form their beliefs about pharmacist trustworthiness (r = 0.223, p = 0.012). Results of t tests revealed that belief strength was similar among subjects using more causal than authoritative arguments to form beliefs and in those using fewer causal arguments (t = 1.35, p = 0.179), but belief tenacity differed significantly between the groups (t = 2.303, p = 0.023).
The role of external sources in influencing the formation of beliefs about trustworthiness of a pharmacist may be limited as a patient gains pharmacy experience, as experience is based on causal associations. Moreover, causal arguments are correlated with belief tenacity.
Today people have access to a vast array of health information via books, magazines, brochures, the World Wide Web, and television commercials. It is estimated that over 70 million people in the United States search for medical information on the Internet. Health care professionals, including pharmacists, are also providing patients with more information about their medications and diseases. Despite increased access to information, failure to adopt healthy behaviors (e.g., proper diet, exercise, smoking cessation) and noncompliance with medication regimens remain commonplace among patients in the United States. Pharmacists and other health care providers are still challenged with persuading people to adopt healthy behaviors.
It is important for health care providers to influence patients' health beliefs and decisions. Beliefs are the fundamental building blocks of human decision-making and behavior, yet little is known about how patients form beliefs. To influence patients' health beliefs, it is necessary to understand the cognitive process by which they are formed.
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