Trust In Institutions Research Articles

“It Just Galls Me, as a Taxpayer”: Trust Implications of School Closure Decision-Making in Ontario

More than 400 publicly funded schools in Ontario, Canada, permanently closed between 2011 and 2017. This study examines the impact of highly criticized closure decisions on trust, guided by the OECD competence-values framework for citizens’ trust in public institutions. Interviews with key informants reveal factors affecting trust, including timing and format of public consultations, reliability of data informing closure recommendations, silencing of community concerns, timeliness of government coordination, asset management horizons, and system-wide approaches to planning. This study underscores the need for an alternative school-closure decision-making model for Ontario.

Unsettled Ground, Unsettled Lives: The Ontological (In)securities of Syrian Refugees in the Shadow of Turkey’s 2023 Earthquake

Executive Summary This paper examines the ontological insecurities faced by Syrian refugees in Turkey following the 2023 earthquakes. Ontological security refers to the security of being, encompassing a sense of confidence in the apparent stability of the world (p. 746). This concept is intimately linked to managing existential uncertainties and maintaining routines to ensure a sense of security. Previous literature indicates that uncertain situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, including earthquakes and floods, exacerbate ontological insecurities. Additionally, these challenging situations often intensify anti-refugee attitudes. Historically, the impact of earthquakes on individuals has been considered predominantly within the realm of physical security, a perspective critiqued by critical security scholars. In alignment with this critique, our study adopts an ontological security perspective to analyze the situations of Syrian refugees in Turkey post-earthquake, addressing a gap in the literature which has previously focused on the physical security aspects of Syrian refugees. While numerous studies documented the relationship between security and migration, fewer explored the nexus between ontological (in)security and migration in the context of natural hazards. This study addresses this gap by investigating how the recent earthquake heightened existing insecurities among Syrian refugees. Drawing on ontological security studies, narrative analysis, and data from in-depth, semi-structured interviews, the study finds that the vulnerabilities of Syrian refugees were intensified by the earthquake. Their perceptions of home, society, and future shifted significantly, decreasing their ontological security and exacerbating existing inequalities. Our findings suggest that the February 2023 earthquake posed threats to refugees beyond physical inadequacies, exacerbating the ontological insecurities of Syrian refugees in Turkey. This compounded their displacement-related existential anxieties and undermined their sense of stability and belonging by altering their perceptions of home, trust in public authorities, and their future. The earthquake significantly disrupted Syrian refugees’ understanding of “home” by compounding their sense of loss and insecurity, thereby challenging their ability to establish a stable, predictable environment essential for ontological security in Turkey. Furthermore, the earthquake altered Syrian refugees’ trust in public authorities. The government’s handling of the post-earthquake process significantly impacted refugees’ access to essential resources, with discriminatory practices and mobility restrictions amplifying their vulnerability and precariousness. The state’s crisis management capabilities and emphasis on border security, aimed at ensuring control, inadvertently increased refugees’ precariousness regarding their identity and future, leading to a loss of trust in public authorities. In addition to these challenges, the earthquake also changed Syrian refugees’ perception of their future in Turkey, causing them to question their safety and sense of belonging in the host society. Existing challenges faced by refugees were exacerbated by the earthquake and compounded by societal exclusion, further shattering their sense of stability and predictability. Post-earthquake, language barriers and stereotypes intensified, leading to increased discrimination and a reliance on informal survival networks, further diminishing their trust in the future. This heightened ontological insecurity, compounded by economic and social barriers, deepened divisions and made the refugees feel perpetually out of place, undermining their trust in Turkish institutions and society. Our suggestions and policy recommendations underscore the need for comprehensive policies that address both the physical and psychological dimensions of refugee well-being with reference to concrete policy designs in a post-disaster process. • To build trust in the post-disaster process for refugees, the government should ensure that central and local authorities distribute survival resources equally and transparently. • Clear communication channels must be implemented to keep affected communities informed about aid processes. • To address societal exclusion and improve refugees’ future outlook, the government should offer language training and translation services to help refugees navigate post-disaster process. • Providing critical information in multiple languages will ensure all community members are informed and can access aid. • Fostering community integration initiatives and supporting NGOs working specifically with refugees will promote interaction between refugees and host communities, building social cohesion. • Recognizing the importance of informal networks and incorporating them into formal aid structures, as well as supporting community-based organizations (particularly NGOs) that provide aid and support to refugees, is also essential.

Determinants of Citizen Trust in Public Institutions in Bangladesh

Institutional trust is an essential indicator in the governance mechanism involving citizens’ confidence in public institutions. The article main goal is to shed light on the theoretical insights into the field of trust in public institutions and what determines the degree of citizen trust in public institutions in Bangladesh. Methodologically, the article is a content analysis involving a literature review of vast secondary materials on books, journals, and websites regarding institutional trust which has been used, interpreted, and reinterpreted to validate the arguments. The article presents an analysis that cultural variables have the strongest overall effect on variations in citizens’ trust in public institutions in Bangladesh than institutional or performance variables. Social capital and authoritarianism tend to override the service satisfaction and quality of government variables in determining the trust level in public institutions in Bangladesh.

Access to affordable daycare and women's mental health in Rajasthan, India: Evidence from a cluster-randomised social intervention.

Women in India are often responsible for unpaid household work, family caregiving, and paid work, which can contribute to poorer mental health. The provision of childcare has the potential to improve women's mental health, but evidence on the effects of providing access to daycare is limited. We designed a cluster-randomised trial and used data from a sample of 2858 mothers with age-eligible children from 160 village hamlets in rural Rajasthan, India, to evaluate the impact of providing access to a community-based daycare programme on social and emotional aspects of women's mental health. We conducted a baseline survey in early 2016, randomised hamlets to intervention or control groups approximately six months later, and delivered the final post-intervention survey approximately two years thereafter. Treatment assignment increased the probability that a respondent used a daycare over the two-year follow-up by 40.9 percentage points. Providing randomised access to a daycare resulted in 0.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.1, 0.4) fewer symptoms of mental distress, representing a 9.5% decline compared to the baseline mean of 2.1 symptoms, as well as a 3.7 (95% CI = -0.8, 8.3) percentage point increase in the proportion of women who reported feeling very happy, equivalent to an 11.0% increase relative to the baseline mean of 33.6%. Among social indicators, treatment assignment was associated with a 5.6 (95% CI = -1.2, 12.4) percentage point increase in membership in an association, a relative increase of 43.4% compared to the baseline mean of 12.9%. The intervention did not have an appreciable impact on measures of life satisfaction or trust in institutions. Two-stage least squares instrumental variable analyses showed that daycare use decreased mental distress by 0.4 (95% CI = -0.1, 0.8) symptoms, increased the proportion of women who were very happy by 9.4 (95% CI = 0.0, 17.6) percentage points, and increased membership in an organisation by 15.9 (95% CI = 8.4, 23.7) percentage points. The provision of affordable, community-based daycare was associated with substantial uptake and showed potential for improving mothers' mental health in a rural context where most women were not employed in the formal labour force. ISRCTN clinical trial registry (ISRCTN45369145), registered on 16 May 2016; American Economic Association's registry for randomised controlled trials (AEARCTR-0000774), registered on 15 July 2015.

Sámi trust in hydropower governance: A survey study

The collaborative water governance literature, especially that concerned with trust, has paid scant attention to Indigenous Peoples. In this paper, we present the results from a survey targeting the Sámi population in Sweden, exploring trust in key state and industry actors in the governance of hydropower. The results demonstrate a widespread signal of low trust, which is correlated with a confluence of factors: a strong concern with negative impacts from hydropower on Sámi culture, experiences of limited opportunities to influence decisions, and a perceived low competence as well as limiting attitude from governance actors. Regarding the role of demographic variables, we report on some notable deviations from previous research about institutional trust. We discuss how collaborative governance initiatives often-times are launched to strengthen trust, but that design and implementation failures can, counter-productively, serve to erode trust among Indigenous constituencies. If Sámi trust is to be strengthened, then it will require state authorities and hydropower companies to genuinely engage with Sámi rights claims and ensure influence in decision-making. Our findings also have direct policy relevance, pointing to the need for a steep learning curve if the pending review of hydropower licenses, launched by the Swedish government, is to play a meaningful role in addressing past and ongoing impacts of hydropower on the Sámi People.

HOUSING SUPPORT POLICIES IN PANDEMIC TIMES AND INTERRELATIONS WITH INSTITUTIONAL TRUST: A MIXED-METHODS APPROACH

Housing was crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, as “staying at home” was the first line of defense against the virus. To reduce the economic downturn’s impact on housing security, preventive and supportive measures were developed, such as moratoria on rents and mortgages. This paper aims to analyze the opinions of tenants and indebted homeowners about the housing support policies implemented during the pandemic crisis and explore the relation with the level of trust in institutions — an aspect not yet studied. A mixed-methods approach is used based on quantitative and qualitative data from a nationwide online survey conducted in 2021. Quantitative data was analyzed using the software SPSS, and qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis. Thematic analysis of 377 answers to open questions (e.g., “What is your opinion on the exceptional financial regime for payment of rents?”) shows that homeowners’ opinions (positive or negative) are mainly supported by their perceptions of the effectiveness of measures introduced to protect families from economic shocks resulting from the pandemic. For tenants, besides effectiveness, opinions are also determined by evaluation of the quality-of-service delivery and responsiveness. Variance analysis shows that tenants with a positive opinion tend to present higher levels of trust in public institutions compared to those with an unfavorable opinion. The study shows that housing support measures during COVID-19 in Portugal were met with mixed trust levels, with positive views linked to higher institutional trust and negative perceptions tied to concerns over fairness, efficiency, and long-term impacts. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of effective policy design and implementation in times of crisis and the psychosocial consequences of not achieving envisioned aims.

Democracy and Crime in Latin America

Abstract Do firm stances against crime, up to a level at which they disregard Human Rights, overflow the sphere of crime control and associate with a preference against democracy? This study determines whether victimization of crime encourages support for the death penalty, the desire to own a firearm, and broader authoritarian political attitudes. The hypothesis is tested in Latin America using the LAPOP (2018/2019) database in 17 countries. Three sets of indicators are observed in the logistic models: a) dependent variables (desire to own a firearm, support for the death penalty, perception of democracy as the best form of government, support for a coup in the case of high crime, satisfaction with democracy, and trust in institutions); b) independent variables (victimization by crime); and c) control variables (waiting time for police response, and sociodemographic factors). Although no significant effects were found on democracy as the best form of government, victimization increases the likelihood of wanting a firearm, favoring the death penalty, and supporting coups, while it reduces the satisfaction with democracy and trust in institutions. Therefore, the results confirm that crime not only favors public support for harsh measures to control it but also weakens democracy and its institutions.

Attitudes towards geroprotection: measuring willingness, from lifestyle changes to drug use

IntroductionGeroprotection is an emerging field of research focused on devising strategies for combating the mechanisms of ageing. This study held three aims: 1) to explore the willingness to utilise five different geroprotective measures (i.e., exercise, supplements, intermittent fasting, metformin, and rapamycin use), 2) to explore whether the willingness differs based on respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics and 3) to explore the association between trust in medical institutions and willingness to utilise different geroprotective measures.MethodsA questionnaire was used to assess the attitudes of a sample of the Dutch population by way of both convenience and snowball sampling (final N = 178). Descriptive data and bivariate correlations were used in the analyses.ResultsRelatively high social acceptance of both exercise (66%) and supplements (82%) was found, whereas intermittent fasting (30%), metformin (26%), and rapamycin (10%) were less supported. Males were significantly more likely to be open to exercise and women to supplement use. Trust in medical institutions correlated significantly with the willingness to start metformin.DiscussionExploratory research can only provide a first step in understanding the social acceptance of geroprotection measures. Nevertheless, this study clearly illustrates more well-known measures promoted by public health policy are also more accepted and used. Public health campaigns could consider the sex differences in the uptake of exercise and supplements, and future research may want to delve deeper into the role of facilitating trust relations between medical institutions and the public in promoting the use of geroprotective drugs.

Abordagens teóricas e definições mínimas na pesquisa em Comunicação Pública: construindo o conceito de Comunicação Pública de Estado

Public communication is a rapidly developing scientific and professional field. However, the perception that it remains a concept under construction persists. To elucidate its definition, this study seeks to recognize and systematize the contributions of Brazilian research on public communication. The literature review found three aspects that delimit the area: the agents promoting communication, the content and production ethos, and the communication channels. Such aspects constitute minimum requirements for the concept of state public communication, which, in turn, includes a normative-democratic dimension that enables participation, transparency, accountability, defense of social rights, and governance; and an institutional dimension related to links and trust in institutions and democracy.

The Implication of the Quality of Care with the Level of Satisfaction of the Administered of a State Entity in the Lambayeque Region

The quality of care provided to the citizens by state entities is a significant factor in organizations because measuring satisfaction levels strengthens trust in governmental institutions. The objective of this article is to establish the relationship between service quality and citizen satisfaction levels within a state entity in the Lambayeque Region. According to the literature reviewed, it was found that there is a significant positive relationship between service quality and user satisfaction in public entities. This means that as service quality improves, user satisfaction levels also increase. Conversely, a decrease in service quality tends to negatively impact user satisfaction. This finding underscores the importance of enhancing and maintaining high standards of service quality provided by state entities to ensure a satisfactory experience for users.

Exploring vaccine hesitancy in digital public discourse: From tribal polarization to socio-economic disparities.

This study analyzed online public discourse on Twitter (later rebranded as X) during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand key factors associated with vaccine hesitancy by employing deep-learning techniques. Text classification analysis reveals a significant association between attitudes toward vaccination and the unique socio-economic characteristics of US states, such as education, race, income or voting behavior. However, our results indicate that attributing vaccine hesitancy solely to a single social factor is not appropriate. Furthermore, the topic modeling of online discourse identifies two distinct sets of justifications for vaccine hesitancy. The first set pertains to political concerns, including constitutional rights and conspiracy theories. The second pertains to medical concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy. However, vaccine-hesitant social media users pragmatically use broad categories of justification for their beliefs. This behavior may suggest that vaccine hesitancy is influenced by political beliefs, unconscious emotions, and gut-level instinct. Our findings have further implications for the critical role of trust in public institutions in shaping attitudes toward vaccination and the need for tailored communication strategies to restore faith in marginalized communities.

Cultural Censorship and Institutional Trust in Africa

What are the consequences of cultural censorship on trust? Previous literature on institutional and political trust informs this article which extends the work to consider the importance of artistic spaces for shaping political attitudes. These spaces may allow individuals to form trust relationships with each other. The importance of these cultural spaces is highlighted when, in both democracies and autocracies, we observed cultural censorship. While the rationale for censorship may differ across regime types, some of the effects look strikingly similar. Using survey data from the Afrobarometer and measures of censorship from Varieties of Democracy, this article suggests that trust in executive and legislative institutions among regime supporters is increased, when autocracies engage in cultural censorship. Additionally, this article argues that trust in the ruling party increases and trust in the opposition party decreases with more cultural censorship in both autocracies and democracies. Taken together this descriptive initial test of the theory, consistent with the theory presented, offers additional insights about how authoritarian regimes might use cultural censorship to maintain system support, but also suggest reasons why even democratic regimes can be motivated to engage in censorship for political gain.

Pertanggungjawaban Pidana Pemberi dan Penerima Suap dalam Proyek Pengerjaan Pembangunan Infrastruktur: Studi Putusan Nomor 438 K/Pid.Sus/2021

Bribery in infrastructure projects is a form of corruption that undermines the legal order and public trust in government institutions and state administrators. In this study, the bribe giver is considered to play a role in influencing the decision or action of public officials, while the bribe receiver is considered to have abused his authority. This research uses normative research methods, commonly referred to as legal research techniques, positive legal research techniques, doctrinal legal research techniques, and pure legal research techniques, used in this research. Legal research that focuses on written laws or regulations (law in books) or legal research based on social norms and regulations is known as normative legal research. bribe givers and recipients have criminal liability regulated in law number 31 of 1999 concerning the eradication of criminal acts of corruption amended by law number 20 of 2001. Article 5, both the giver and receiver of a bribe are considered to be the perpetrators of a criminal offence. a bribe giver who offers or gives something to a state official to influence a decision that will benefit him or her or someone else can be sentenced. Enforcement is carried out through investigation, investigation, prosecution, and trial of bribery cases. One method that is often used is the Hand Capture Operation (OTT) by the KPK, which has successfully uncovered many major bribery cases among state officials,

Do natural resources influence E-government in developing countries? Effects and transmission channels

E-government has taken a prominent place in the political and economical debate. Despite the vast non-consensual literature, on the effects of natural resources, very little is known about the effects of these resources on the development of e-government. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing the effect of natural resources on the development of e-government in a panel of 121 developing countries over the period 2003–2021. Through several empirical approaches, our results show that, on average, natural resource rents negatively affect the development of e-government. Distinguishing between different types of natural resources, we note that the negative effect of natural resources on the development of e-government remains, and the magnitude is more persistent for forestry, gas and oil rents. Furthermore, the mediation analysis suggests that the negative effect of natural resources on the development of e-government is influenced by trust in institutions, the size of the informal sector, corruption, and the quality of telecommunications infrastructures.

Digital Banking Adoption and Financial Inclusion in Vietnam: A Multi-Dimensional Analysis of User Perceptions and Socioeconomic Factors

This study investigates the factors influencing digital banking adoption intention and its impact on perceived financial inclusion. By integrating the Technology Acceptance Model with trust theories and digital literacy concepts, we develop a comprehensive framework to understand the complex relationships among these variables. The research employs a mixed-method approach, combining structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to analyze survey data from 587 respondents. Results from SEM reveal that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, institutional trust, technological trust, and social influence significantly affect digital banking adoption intention, which in turn positively influences perceived financial inclusion. Digital literacy moderates the relationships between perceived ease of use and adoption intention, as well as between technological trust and adoption intention. The fsQCA results complement these findings by identifying multiple configurations leading to high adoption intention and perceived financial inclusion, highlighting the equifinal nature of these relationships. This study contributes to the literature by providing a nuanced understanding of digital banking adoption and its link to financial inclusion, offering valuable insights for policymakers and financial institutions. The findings underscore the importance of enhancing perceived usefulness, ease of use, trust, and digital literacy to promote digital banking adoption and, consequently, financial inclusion.

Digital Leadership: Its Influence on Driving Digital Policy Adoption in the Public Sector

This study examines the pivotal role of digital leadership in driving government transformation. By leveraging advanced data analytics, governments can formulate more predictive policies and anticipate future challenges. Digital services enhance efficiency, accessibility, and transparency, fostering trust in government institutions. However, successful digital transformation hinges on effective leadership. Digital leaders possess the skills to navigate complex digital environments, cultivate digital mindsets, and identify opportunities. This research explores the competencies required for digital leadership, including data analytics, strategic thinking, and the ability to inspire and motivate teams. Furthermore, it investigates the impact of digital leadership on policy adoption, service delivery, and organizational culture. Through a comprehensive literature review, this study contributes to the understanding of how digital leadership can accelerate government modernization and improve public service delivery.

Shocks to the System: Electoral Manipulation, Protests and the Evolution of Political Trust in Russia

Abstract How do electoral manipulation and resulting anti-fraud protests influence political trust in non-democratic contexts? I leverage the plausibly exogenous variation in the timing of a series of original surveys fielded on nationally representative samples in Russia to understand the impact of political shocks – particularly allegations of electoral fraud and post-election protests – on the evolution of trust in political institutions and individuals. This study demonstrates that allegations of excessive, blatant electoral fraud decrease trust in the autocrat. However, trust rebounds following attendant post-election protests. Finally, I examine the conditional impacts of fraud and protest on trust, finding that updating occurs primarily among those with weak political affiliation.

Institutional distrust and levels of functional impairment related to indoor air-associated symptoms: A Finnish population-based study

IntroductionWhile distrust in social institutions has been linked with poor health outcomes, this association has not been examined in relation to indoor air (IA). We investigated the relationship between functional impairment due to IA-associated symptoms and distrust in social institutions, both in general and distrust particularly in IA-related questions. MethodsThe Finnish population-based Indoor Air and Health survey (n=1750) was utilized to assess any IA-associated symptoms and functional impairment due to these symptoms within the past 12 months. The associations between levels of functional impairment and distrust in social institutions (health care, juridical system, government officials, construction business, media, and social media) were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression adjusted for gender, age, and education. ResultsOf the respondents with symptoms (23.1 %), the level of functional impairment varied from severe (1.8 %) to no impairment (4.9 %). Distrust in social institutions was more common in IA-related questions than in general. Higher levels of functional impairment were associated with increased distrust particularized in IA-related questions in other institutions except for media and social media: higher levels of functional impairment were associated with increased trust in these institutions. The strongest associations were observed with distrust in health care and government officials (aOR 4.10, 95 %CI 1.97–8.53, and aOR 3.35, 95 %CI 1.62–6.94, for those with severe impairment compared to those with no IA-associated symptoms). ConclusionsHigher levels of self-reported functional impairment due to IA-associated symptoms were associated with decreased trust in most social institutions, but with increased trust in media and social media. These findings should be considered in communication on and prevention of IA-associated health issues.

The social gradient in institutional trust from 2011–2019 in the general population in Norway

Abstract Background Trust is described as the glue of healthy societies. Although Norway is among the countries with the highest levels of trust in public institutions, the increasing socioeconomic differences observed may threaten levels of institutional trust. Therefore, we aimed to investigate such differences in the general population between 2011 and 2019. Methods A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted using data on the general population in Østfold county from 2011 (N = 16673) and 2019 (N = 15935). Differences in trust toward five public institutions (healthcare system, school system, labour and welfare administration (NAV), police, and municipal council) by educational level were investigated with Chi-square tests. Logbinomial regression analyses were used to examine potential changes in high trust over time. Gender and age were included in the analyses as control variables. Results A relatively high proportion of the general population reported high levels of trust to the health care system (2011: 71%; 2019:80%), police (2011: 73%; 2019:77%), and the school system (2011: 64%; 2019:66%), whereas a lower proportion reported high levels of trust to NAV (2011: 37%; 2019:41%) and the municipal council (2011: 45%; 2019:36%). Both in 2011 and 2019 a clear social gradient in institutional trust was found for all institutions (p < 0.05). There was a significant increase in the level of trust in the health care system (low education:RR=1,10; middle:RR=1,12; high:RR=1.06) and a significant decrease in trust in the community council (low:RR=0,77; middle:RR=0,80; high:RR=0,83) in all educational groups from 2011 to 2019. The level of trust in NAV increased significantly in the highest education groups, while a non-significant decrease was shown in the low educational group. Conclusions The persisting social gradient in institutional trust is worrying as trust is an important factor in ensuring inclusion, social capital, democracy, and health and wellbeing. Key messages • Institutional trust is an important factor in ensuring inclusion, social capital, democracy, and health and wellbeing. • The lower levels of institutional trust found in low educational groups could be of particular concern as these groups might be more dependent on the different parts of the welfare system.

Trust in sources of information about digital health technologies: The User’s Perspective

Abstract Background Trust is key to healthcare, including all types of health information. This applies not only to the process of healthcare delivery, but also to health-related behaviors and the utilization of healthcare services. Trust in health information sources has been shown to vary by social and health characteristics. Therefore, the research question is: Are there social and health-related differences in perceptions of trust in sources of information (government agencies or physicians) about digital health technologies? Methods The analysis is based on a cross-sectional online survey (STELLAR) conducted in 2022 (N = 1,200), Participants were asked whether they perceive trust (1= fully agree- 4= not at all) in information about digital health technologies provided by government agencies (institutional trust) or physicians (interpersonal trust). For the analysis, binary logistic regressions (references: traditionalists, low education level, poor self-perceived health) were used. Results Institutional Trust. Overall, 43.9% of the participants perceived trust in this information source. Baby Boomers (OR 2.022), Generation Y (OR 2.544), and Generation Z (OR 2.566), as well as medium (OR 2.526) and high (OR 3.823) educational level, increased the odds of perceived trust; the same was found for better self-perceived health (OR 1.569). Interpersonal Trust. In general, 94.8 % of the participants expressed trust physicians. Belonging to Generation Z decreased the chance (OR 0.097) and a better subjective health status increased the chance (OR 4.250) of perceiving trust. Education did not emerge as a significant determinant. Conclusions The study confirmed that interpersonal and institutional trust varies by social and health characteristics. There seems to be a need to strengthen efforts to explain the process of trust building in different population groups., e.g. to find explanations for why educational level was only relevant for institutional trust but not for interpersonal trust. Key messages • Trust in sources of information about digital health technologies differ by generation, educational level, and subjective health status. • Given the existing differences in perceptions of trust, it is worthwhile to explore the unknown mechanisms of the trust-building process among different population groups.