The Influence of Doctor-Patient Communication on Patients’ Trust: The Role of Patient-Physician Consistency and Perceived Threat of Disease

Xiaofan Liu,1 Jianji Zeng,2 Liuxiang Li,2 Qixiu Wang,2 Junyi Chen,2 Li Ding2 1School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Medical Business, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jianji Zeng, School of Medical Business, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, People’s Republic of China, Email zengjianji2006@163.comPurpose: To investigate the influence mechanism of doctor-patient communication on patients’ trust, especially the mediating role of patient-physician consistency and the moderating role of perceived threat of disease.Methods: A total of 699 patients in Guangzhou, China was investigated by questionnaire. The main effect, mediating effect, and moderating effect of the model was verified by SPSS23.0 and LISREL8.71 statistical software.Results: It was revealed that doctor-patient communication has a significant positive effect on patients’ trust. The consistency between patient and physician partially mediates the relationship between doctor-patient communication and patients’ trust. Additionally, the perceived threat of the disease moderates the psychological process through which doctor-patient communication affects patients’ trust.Conclusion: Both doctor-patient communication and patient-physician consistency have predictive effects on patients’ trust. Doctor-patient communication is not only a direct influence on patient trust but also an indirect influence mediated by patient-physician consistency. Perceived threat of disease moderates the psychological process through which doctor-patient communication affects patients’ trust. Specifically, compared to a high level of perceived threat of disease, a low level of perceived threat of disease can enhance the effect of doctor-patient communication on patients’ trust. The results of this study underscore the importance of doctor-patient communication and the value of patient-physician consistency for building patients’ trust. To foster a harmonious doctor-patient relationship, medical colleges should place great emphasis on cultivating medical students’ communication skills. Hospitals should enhance on-the-job training and provide institutional support for doctors, encourage agreements between doctors and patients regarding disease diagnosis and decision-making, and be attentive to patients’ perceived threat of disease, particularly for those with high level of perceived threat of disease.Keywords: doctor-patient communication, patient-physician consistency, perceived threat of disease, patients’ trust, doctor-patient relationship