The Role of Trust in Oncology Across Populations and Cultures: Implications for Health Inequities and Social Justice

Despite improvements in cancer care across the continuum of the disease, disparities in care access and quality persist among racial and ethnic minority patients and patients from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. This chapter explores the role of trust in oncology. The chapter: (1) describes barriers and facilitators of trust framed by the Socioecological Framework; (2) reviews evidence-based best practices for fostering trust among patients, payers, communities, and the cancer care team and (3) identifies opportunities for multilevel solutions that span from individual to policy level to address unmet needs.