Does Seeing the Same Doctor Matter? Primary Care Structure and Digital Literacy, Medical Skepticism, and Trust

• In Event: Medical Sociology Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 19. Patient Experiences

Abstract

Continuity of care is often invoked as a foundational advantage of primary care, yet it is not synonymous with simply “having a primary care provider.” In this study, we examine how primary care structure, specifically continuity anchored to a single physician versus rotating clinicians or episodic care, is associated with trust in healthcare, medical skepticism, and digital health literacy among U.S. adults. Drawing on the theoretical framework of cultural health capital, we theorize continuity of care as a relational mechanism through which patients develop interactional competencies and interpretive frameworks that shape engagement with medicine and health information. Using data from a four-stage web-based experiment administered to a nationally representative sample of 2,305 adults, we assess whether typical care source (i.e., single primary care physician, a primary practice with rotating physicians, reliance on urgent or emergency care, or rarely seeking medical care) shapes patients’ orientations toward medicine and their ability to correctly interpret online medical advice. Participants completed a survey capturing healthcare experiences, trust in healthcare professionals, and medical skepticism before evaluating medically sound online health information related to a hypothetical case of moderate acne. Results indicate that individuals with a single primary care physician consistently demonstrate higher trust in healthcare, lower medical skepticism, and greater digital health literacy than those who rely on rotating clinicians, emergency care, or those who rarely seek care. While respondents who use a rotating group of physicians generally fare better than those who rely on emergency services or rarely seek are, they do not consistently experience the same advantages as those with a single provider. Notably, these patterns persist after accounting for socioeconomic status, healthcare utilization, and insurance coverage.

Author

• Maria T. Paino, Oakland University