Date of Award

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

To understand the attitude of the college-age population towards the U.S. medical care system, the researcher conducted an online survey study with 296 participants. By calculating Pearson’s r correlation coefficient, the researcher found the more positive one’s past experience with the U.S. medical care system, the more positive one’s general attitudes toward the U.S. medical care system. In addition, one’s trust level in COVID-19 vaccines was found to be correlated with one’s level of trust in the U.S. medical care system. What’s more, online information was identified by the majority of the participants as a factor influenced their attitudes toward the U.S. medical care system. The researcher also found Art & Music was the only field of study or work that showed a significant difference with other fields in trust level in both the COVID-19 vaccines and the U.S. medical care system and overall attitudes towards the U.S. medical care system, by conducting t-test. Furthermore, a significant but weak positive correlation was found between older age and trust level in COVID-19 vaccines, while there was no correlation found between older age and one’s COVID-19 vaccination decision. Moreover, while there was no significant difference found between African American participants’ and Caucasian participants’ COVID-19 vaccination decision, African American participants had a significantly lower level of trust in COVID-19 vaccines than their white counterparts. Additionally, the researcher recognized common themes (e.g., more affordable medical expenses and services with better quality) existed among participants’ expectations toward the U.S. medical care system, and made corresponding suggestions aiming to help the U.S. medical care system to gain a more supportive attitude. Future study’s direction focusing on online information’s influence were also put forward by the researcher.

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