The Role of Media in Enhancing Public Trust in the Health System of Iran: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study
Keywords:
Media, Public Trust, Health System, Transparency, Accountability, Healthcare ServicesAbstract
This study aimed to explore the role of media in identifying barriers and proposing strategies for enhancing public trust in Iran’s health and healthcare system. A qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 Iranian citizens aged 18–65 who had direct experience with healthcare services. Participants were selected via purposive and snowball sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method, and credibility was ensured through participant validation. The analysis revealed six core dimensions shaping public trust: attention to patient well-being, media influence and health awareness, insurance services, health system responsiveness, facilitative role of healthcare services, and governmental responsibility. Media were found to play a pivotal role by improving transparency, disseminating health knowledge, responsibly reporting medical issues, and strengthening physician–patient communication, while high treatment costs, limited transparency, weak accountability, and insurance inefficiencies emerged as major trust-eroding barriers. Public trust in the health system is a multidimensional construct requiring an integrated policy approach involving government, healthcare institutions, media, and society. Strategic use of media, insurance reform, enhanced accountability, and reinforcement of professional ethics are essential pathways to strengthening public trust.
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