Public Trust in Scientists for Cancer Information Across Political Ideologies in the US

Is political ideology a factor associated with an individual’s trust in scientists as sources of cancer information?In this survey study of 6260 US adults, overall trust in scientists was high (86.0%), but significantly lower among individuals with more conservative political views. Estimated probabilities of high trust ranged from 93.7% among liberal respondents to 70.5% among very conservative respondents.These findings suggest that public trust in scientists remains high overall, but the ideological gradient underscores the need for communication strategies that engage politically diverse audiences.

Corresponding Author: Christopher W. Wheldon, PhD, Department of Social chris.wheldon@temple.edu).

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