Key results

Under pressure: Trust in the health sector put to the test

It is now more than two years since the WHO declared Covid-19 a global pandemic on 11 March 2020. In that time, the world, community feeling, and trust in institutions have changed. Trust levels in the health sector are volatile, health recommendations are under scrutiny, and the views of vaccinated and unvaccinated people are divided.

 

2022 Edelman Trust Barometer
Special Report: Trust and Health
10,000 Respondents
10 Markets

The pandemic has led to a loss of confidence in the health system
The figures show that trust in the health sector and companies operating in this sector is under scrutiny from several sides. For example, among Germans, healthcare companies have lost the high level of trust that was reached at the beginning of the pandemic (May 2020: 72%) (March 2022: 60%). It turns out that German respondents are split on whether the German health system is well equipped to handle major health crises – only 50% of them say the pandemic has increased their confidence in this. 

'Infodemic' for relevant health information
Less than half (44%) of German respondents say they consume health-related information from major news organisations, companies or influencers on a weekly or more frequent basis. 43% of Germans say they are concerned that medical science is being used to support a political agenda. 

Trust is one of the most important factors influencing health behaviour
Those with lower trust in the health ecosystem are significantly less likely to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. 92% of respondents who are fully vaccinated have higher trust in the health ecosystem, while 68% have lower trust.
For companies in the health sector, this means they need to know their role and how they can meaningfully bring their strengths to the entire ecosystem. In order for this to succeed, not just with one part of society, the existing trust gap must be overcome. It’s no longer enough to just drive a strategy and look at the information channels and interests of a target group. It’s crucial that health companies and other institutions understand the importance of the different voices and influencers and apply the right approach to reach as many as possible.

Click here to go to the global TRUST 2022 Website.


About 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer

The Edelman Trust Barometer 2022 Special Report: Trust and Health online survey involved 10,000 respondents across 10 markets (Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, South Korea, the UK and the U.S.), with data reflecting the national population of each country and representative by age, region and gender. In the U.S., an oversample of respondents from different racial and ethnic communities was also conducted. All data was collected through an online survey from 10-18 February 2022. For more information, please visit https://www.edelman.com/trust-barometer


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Anna-Lena Schildt, Senior PR & Marketing manager of Edelman Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 40 80 90 36 770 ; 
E-Mail: Presse-DE@edelman.com

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