Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health September 2010, Vol. 43, No. 5, 411-422 doi: 10.3961/jpmph.2010.43.5.411 A Study of Factors Related to Korean Physicians Trust in the Government: On the Target for Board Members of Physicians Associations Sunhee Lee 1, Gunmo Yang 2, Juhyun Seo 3, Juhye Kim 3 1 Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University; 2 Department of Public Administration, Graduate School of Ewha Womans University; 3 Department of Medicine, Graduate School of Ewha Womans University Objectives: This study aims to investigate the factors related to Korean physicians trust in the government. Methods: We used structured questionnaires that were composed of multidimensional scales for each of the various categories. Results: The recognition levels of trust of the government by Korean physicians were not high, and they ranged from 3.6 to 4.8 for ten scales. The factors related to trust in the government were categorized into seven factors on the basis of a factor analysis. On the regression analysis, a positive relationship was found between the individual propensity to trust and trust in the government, while a negative relationship was found between the recognition level regarding the government as an authoritarian power and trust in the government. Confidence about participation in the policy process as internal efficacy and belief in governmental ability and motivation toward public demand as external efficacy also showed a strong positive relationship with trust in the government. Conclusions: From these results, we can draw the conclusion that making efforts to improve the recognition level of trust in the government among physicians is an important policy task. To increase the trust level, participation of physicians in the policy process in various ways and open communication between the physiciansassociations and the government should be facilitated. Key words: Trust in the government, Policy making, Physicians J Prev Med Public Health 2010;43(5):411-422
Figure 1. Analytical framework of factors to related to physician s trust in the government.
Table 1. Comparison in trust levels toward government by sociodemographic characteristics unit : mean(sd), n (%) Characterstics n (%) Trust level Gender Male Female Age (y) <40 40-50 >50 Occupation Intern/Resident Independent practitioner Professor Practitioner Regions Seoul Others Total *p<0.05, p<0.01. 261 (76.1) 082 (23.9) 134 (39.0) 161 (46.8) 048 (14.0) 078 (22.7) 083 (24.1) 062 (18.0) 120 (34.9) 095 (27.7) 248 (72.3) 343 (100) 3.711.74 3.901.64 3.551.54 3.671.69 4.631.72 3.411.66 3.851.68 4.531.81 3.521.62 3.921.99 3.681.60 3.761.72 0.70 7.66* 6.33 1.34,, meant that there were significant differences between the group with same mark tagging.
Table 2. The results of factor analysis for factors related to trust in government Variable Propensity to trust Internal efficacy External efficacy (Incumbent) Authoritarian power participation (Non-Governnment) Participation (Governnment) External efficacy (Institution) n A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 C1 C2 C3 C4 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 E1 E2 E3 F1 F2 F3 F4 G1 G2 Component A B C D E F G 0.853 0.816 0.802 0.773 0.764 0.734 0.032-0.018-0.044 0.050 0.108 0.098 0.147-0.089 0.008 0.092 0.045 0.015 0.039-0.006 0.069 0.043 0.031 0.024-0.098 0.052 0.016-0.033-0.001 0.001-0.022 0.019 0.033 0.056-0.046 0.050 0.869 0.810 0.775 0.768 0.581 0.050 0.155 0.037 0.089 0.015 0.013 0.006 0.015 0.007-0.026-0.036 0.033 0.132 0.132 0.185 0.279 0.343 0.101 0.132 0.016-0.053 0.063 0.059 0.045-0.008 0.075 0.066 0.057 0.012 0.177 0.798 0.771 0.768 0.737-0.076 0.054-0.291-0.339-0.221-0.415-0.097-0.114-0.134-0.043 0.088 0.186 0.112-0.192-0.261 0.010-0.014 0.013 0.043 0.065 0.085-0.017-0.048 0.023 0.093-0.020-0.216-0.078-0.110-0.106 0.807 0.773 0.685 0.595 0.581 0.502 0.149 0.187 0.161-0.075-0.031-0.107 0.051 0.166 0.289 0.099-0.007-0.040 0.083-0.093 0.064 0.025 0.034-0.031-0.023 0.181-0.075-0.046-0.145-0.023 0.099 0.053 0.208 0.216 0.040 0.146 0.917 0.917 0.702 0.059 0.187-0.022-0.058 0.041 0.143 0.002-0.053 0.013-0.047 0.068-0.041 0.198 0.072 0.229 0.185 0.234 0.041 0.095 0.043 0.099 0.008-0.059-0.133-0.166 0.060 0.023-0.041 0.034 0.272 0.728 0.699 0.691 0.679 0.052 0.004 0.026-0.011 0.133-0.024-0.072-0.025 0.084 0.224-0.157-0.030 0.204-0.177-0.036-0.091-0.112 0.000-0.044 0.242 0.288 0.382 0.187-0.004 0.044 0.186 0.069 0.124-0.006-0.193 0.809 0.685 Eigenvalue % of Cronbach's 5.630 18.760 0.878 4.580 15.260 0.851 3.810 12.710 0.825 1.860 6.200 0.818 1.570 5.240 0.865 1.210 4.030 0.748 1.020 3.410 0.707
Table 3. Comparison of trust propensity and the recognition toward government's authoritarian power by sociodemographic characteristics unit : mean(sd) Characteristics Gender Male Female Age (y) <40 40-50 >50 Occupation Intern/Resident Independent practitioner Professor Practitioner Regions Seoul Others Propensity to trust** 6.421.37 5.861.29-03.30 5.841.23 6.591.41 6.521.30-12.34 5.651.27 6.501.09 6.471.55 6.461.40-07.70 6.111.37 6.351.37 0-1.46 Authoritarian power** 6.851.70 6.291.82-02.55* 6.091.75 7.281.62 6.571.53-18.57 5.901.83 6.661.82 6.521.69 7.401.38-13.15 6.261.87 6.901.66 0-3.08 Total 6.281.37 6.721.74 *p<0.05, p<0.01, ** Likert scale is ranged from 1 to 10.,,, meant that there were significant differences between the group with same mark tagging. Table 4. Comparison of participation types of policy process by sociodemographic characteristics unit : mean(sd) Characteristics Gender Male Female Age (y) <40 40-50 >50 Occupation Intern/Resident Independent practitioner Professor Practitioner Regions Seoul Others Participation led by nongovernment** 2.831.22 2.461.21-02.39* 2.371.06 2.971.25 2.991.33-10.53 2.391.00 2.271.06 1.960.91 3.690.99-56.91 2.411.09 2.861.25 0-3.21 Participation led by government** 1.750.73 1.610.67 1.50* 1.650.71 1.690.69 1.970.79 3.65* 1.860.79 1.490.55 1.930.81 1.660.69 6.05* 1.680.71 1.790.75 1.26* Total 2.731.23 1.710.72 *p<0.05, p<0.01,** Likert scale is ranged from 1 (absolutely disagree) to 5 (absolutely agree).,,, meant that there were significant differences between the group with same mark tagging.
Table 5. Comparison of efficacy in policy participation by sociodemographic characteristics Characteristics Internal efficacy** External efficacy** (incumbent) unit : mean(sd) External efficacy** (Institution) Gender Male Female Age (y) <40 40-50 >50 Occupation Intern/Resident Independent practitioner Professor Practitioner Regions Seoul Others 2.630.77 2.360.83 2.71 2.380.66 2.670.82 2.720.94 5.93 2.430.58 2.490.78 2.900.88 2.520.83 4.84 2.600.82 2.550.78 0.61 1.890.68 1.910.64-0.18 1.960.68 1.800.65 2.040.68-3.47* 2.080.69 1.800.63 2.090.79 1.740.58-6.62 1.970.66 1.870.68-1.23 1.281.05 1.591.11-2.33* 1.601.06 1.131.03 1.401.10-7.27 1.741.03 1.270.99 1.361.16 1.161.04-4.89 1.511.00 1.291.09-1.63 Total 2.560.79 1.900.67 1.351.07 *p<0.05, p<0.01, ** Likert scale is ranged from 1 (absolutely disagree) to 5 (absolutely agree).,, meant that there were significant differences between the group with same mark tagging. Table 6. Factors related to the trust in government Variables Model1 t Model2 t Model3 t VIF Propensity to trust Authoritarian power Internal efficacy External efficacy (Institution) External efficacy (Incumbent) Participation led by non government Participation led by government 0.210-0.270 0.010-0.080 0.490-0.002 0.007-5.09-5.31-0.19-1.69-9.99-0.04-0.14-0.04-0.81-1.09-2.13-0.21-0.21-4.00-4.02 1.11 1.69 1.54 1.53 1.53 1.83 1.54 F-test Adj. R 2 28.61 00.47 4.68 0.03 54.83 00.07 Adjusted for age, gender, occupation and regions, VIF: variation inflation factor. *p<0.05, p<0.01.
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Appendix. Questionnaires and references of main variables Variables Questionnaires References Trust in government (7 items) T1. T2. T3. T4. T5. T6. () T7.()? [31], [33] *Propensity to trust (6 items) A1. A2. A3. [11], [34], [35] *Authoritarian power(6 items) *Participation led by non government (3 items) *Participation led by government (4 items) *Internal efficacy (5 items) *External efficacy (Incumbent) (4 items) *External efficacy (institution) (2 items) A4. A5. A6. D1. D2. D3. D4. D5. D6. E1. E2. E3. F1. F2. F3. F4. ( ) B1. B2. B3. B4. B5. C1. C2. C3. C4. G1. G2. [18], [21] [12], [22], [29], [35], [36] [27] *Questionnaire relating factor analysis (Table 2).