NorthStar Program for Promoting Public Trust in Science and Healthcare
The mission of the NorthStar Program for Promoting Public Trust in Science and Healthcare is to promote public trust in science and trustworthiness of healthcare providers and institutions in Tennessee through collaboration with Vanderbilt Health and community resources.
Trust means different things to different people in different contexts. Trustworthiness of healthcare providers is commonly based on people’s perceptions of credibility (e.g., expertise, experience), reliability (e.g., keeping one’s promises), being able to confide in a provider, and the provider is dedicated to protecting the patient’s interests. Because trust and trustworthiness are shaped by sociocultural and clinical contexts, examining what trust specifically means to patients in different clinical or scientific contexts matters for making changes for the better.
The NorthStar Program is committed to identifying and addressing the foundations of the public’s understanding of trust and trustworthiness. Our approach is public-centered, interdisciplinary, and rooted in two-way engagement and dialogue with communities.
Director, Elisa J. Gordon, PhD, MPH
For more information about the NorthStar Program, please contact Elisa Gordon
