Abstract P310: Physician Trust and Home Remedy Use Among Low Income Blacks and Whites With Hypertension: Findings From the TRUST Study

Abstract

Introduction: Home remedies are used for the treatment of hypertension, despite unsubstantiated claims of their effectiveness. Home remedy use is often attributed to mistrust towards healthcare providers. Few studies have examined the relationship between HR use and physician trust. The objective of this study was to examine the correlates of home remedy use and the relationship between trust in physicians in a cohort of low-income Blacks and Whites with hypertension living in an inner-city in the Deep South. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that White and Black home remedy users with hypertension would report greater mistrust towards physicians than individuals that were not using home remedies. Methods: A cross-sectional examination was conducted among 925 Black and White patients with hypertension receiving care at an urban hospital in the southeastern US. Trust in physicians was self-reported using the Hall General Trust Scale and home remedy use was self-reported using the Brown and Segal scale. Results: Twenty-eight percent (219 of 788) of Black and 15% (20 of 137) of White participants reported home remedy use (p=0.001). Black home remedy users and nonusers had similar trust scores (p=0.582). Whites home remedy users reported lower trust in physicians than white nonusers and Black home remedies users and nonusers (p=0.026). Conclusions: Black home remedy users, non-users, and White non-users reported similar trust scores. The lowest trust scores were found among White home remedy users. Home remedy use was higher among Black than White participants. This study highlights the importance of examining topics of home remedy use and physician trust among low-income White and Black populations. In conclusion, mistrust towards physicians was associated with greater use of home remedies among White participants with hypertension. Home remedy users may benefit from interventions that bolster trust between patients and providers, and facilitate discussion about home remedy use.