Trust levels toward health care and government: insights from TrustMe, an Italian cross-sectional study

Introduction. Negative trends of trust in governments have been described around the world. This study aimed to describe the distrust level in the National Health Service (NHS) and in governmental management of the pandemic, one year after the start of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Methods. A survey was distributed in February 2022 among a convenience sample. Outcomes were measured through validated tools: Revised Health Care System Distrust Scale, and the COVID-SCORE-10 questionnaire. Associations were assessed using multiple linear regression models. Results. A total of 2111 questionnaires were collected (54.8% female, median age 43 years [IQR = 34-50]). Distrust in the NHS had a median level of 12 [IQR = 10-14], while trust in the government had a level of 47 [IQR = 35-60]. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, high educational attainment, worse economic status, low conventional and digital health literacy, as well as the presence of conspiracy thoughts and distrust in the NHS were significantly associated with lower trust in government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lack of trust in governmental actions, along with low education and health literacy, as well as the presence of conspiracy thoughts and worse perceptions of one's own health, were associated with greater distrust in the NHS. Conclusions. Overall, low levels of trust in both the government and the NHS have emerged. Since the determinants of reduced trust in institutions can be very diverse and that such levels of distrust after a pandemic can last for an entire generation, tailored interventions are needed to rebuild adequate levels of trust in institutions among the population.