Trust in medical doctors and dietitians is higher than for researchers in these areas % ofU.S. adults who say their view of each of these groups is Mostly positive
Half or more of Americans have positive views about each of six professional groups asked about in the survey. The public is warmest toward medical doctors: About three-quarters (74%) say they have a mostly positive view of doctors, 18% are neutral and just 8% have a negative view. Majorities also have positive opinions of medical researchers (68%), dietitians (60%), environmental health specialists (60%) and environmental researchers (57%). About half (51%) have positive overall views of nutrition researchers.
Majorities trust medical doctors and dietitians to care about their patients’ best interests, but trust in other scientists is lower. Respondents were asked whether scientists in each of the six specialties could be trusted to act with competence, to present their recommendations or research findings accurately, and to care about people’s best interests. Americans tend to trust practitioners in medicine and nutrition – who directly interact with patients – more than researchers in these areas. For example, a majority of Americans (57%) say medical doctors care about patients’ best interests all or most of the time, while far fewer (35%) say medical researchers always or usually care about the public’s interests. And 60% say dietitians care about their patients’ best interests all of most of the time, compared with 29% who say nutrition research scientists care about the public interest with the same frequency. But trust in environmental health specialists – practitioners who offer recommendations to organizations and community groups – is about the same as that for environmental researchers.
Most turn a skeptical eye to issues of scientific integrity. Minorities of Americans believe scientists are transparent about potential conflicts of interest with industry all or most of the time. Shares saying this range from 12% to 19%, depending on the specific type of work being asked about. Similarly, few Americans (from 11% to 18%) think scientists admit and take responsibility for their mistakes all or most of the time. And small shares see repercussions for misconduct as commonplace: No more than two-in-ten U.S. adults say scientists in each field of work face serious consequences for misconduct all or most of the time.
Trust in medical doctors and dietitians is higher than for researchers in these areas  | % ofU.S. adults who say their view of each of these groups is  | Environmental  | Medical  | Medical  | health  | Environmental  | Nutrition  | doctors  | researchers  | Dietitians  | specialists  | researchers  | researchers  | Mostly positive  | Mostly ne gative  | 6  | 60  | Neither  | Refused  | % of USS adults who say each of these groups  | all or most fof the time  | Care about people's best  | 57  | 35  | 60  | 43  | 38  | 29  | interests  | Do a good job  | 49  | 43  | 54  | 39  | 40  | 28  | Give fair and accurate  | 48  | 32  | 47  | 35  | 35  | 24  | information  | Are conflicts transparent about  | 11 8  | 15  | 15  | 19  | 14 17  | conflicts transparent of interest  | Admit and take responsibility  | 13  | 12  | 18  | 16  | for mistakes  | Face serious consequences  | 12  | 13  | 13  | 20  | for misconduct  | Note: Respondents who gave other responses or who did not give an answer are not shown.  | Source: Survev conducted Jan, 7-21. 2019.  | "Trust and Mistrust in Americans' Views of Scientist Experts"  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 