ABSTRACT
Introduction
Prior studies suggested that caregiver’s trust in community healthcare providers is the precondition of the utilisation of community‐based rehabilitation services, and is shaped by their perceived quality of primary healthcare services. Nevertheless, the research conducted in non‐western countries is scarce, and which aspect of quality is associated with institutional trust in China has not been studied.
Aim
To explore the association between perceived quality of primary healthcare services and institutional trust in China’s context.
Methods
This cross‐sectional study was conducted with 796 family caregivers from Eastern, Central, and Western China between August 2018 and October 2019. Perceived quality of primary healthcare services was measured by technical competence, communication, worry relief, and risk of privacy leak.
Results
Institutional trust was generally associated with communication, worry relief and risk of privacy leak, but not with technical competence. Among rural respondents, institutional trust was associated with technical competence, communication and risk of privacy leak, but not with worry relief. Contrary finding was observed in urban respondents.
Discussion and implications for practice
With rural‐urban disparity considered, strategies such as improving the technical and communicative competence of community healthcare workers, providing family‐oriented psycho‐education and emotional support, and promoting public anti‐stigma initiatives may be worth consideration.