Communication skills influence horse owners’ trust in their equine veterinarians.
Abstract: Trust is an essential component of the relationship between veterinarians and horse owners. To what extent do horse owners consider their vets to be trustworthy, what aspects are important to horse owners when evaluating their vet's trustworthiness and how can equine vets become more trusted? Methods: Using an anonymous online survey, we asked horse owners whether they consider their veterinarians to be credible, reliable, empathetic and self-orientated, and therefore trustworthy compared with other professionals. Which of their equine vet's characteristics and behaviours influence how credible, reliable, empathetic and self-orientated, and therefore trustworthy, they appear? Credibility, reliability, empathy and self-orientation scores for equine veterinarians, human medical general practitioners (GPs), hairdressers/barbers and dentists were compared using a Kruskal‒Wallis H-test and post hoc Dunn's test and then combined to create a trustworthiness rating. The importance of various characteristics and behaviours displayed by equine vets when horse owners assess how credible, reliable, empathetic and self-orientated they appear was investigated using quantitative scoring and thematic analysis. Results: A total of 415 horse owners completed the survey. Overall, respondents considered equine veterinarians to be significantly more credible, reliable and empathetic than GPs, hairdressers/barbers and dentists. Using the trust equation, equine veterinarians had the highest trustworthiness rating (8.33), followed by hairdressers/barbers and dentists (5.5) and then GPs (4.75). Conclusions: Only the views of a small subset of horse owners are represented. As such, the findings may not be representative of horse owners more generally. Conclusions: Veterinarians' communication skills influence clients' perceptions of their credibility, reliability, empathy and self-orientation. Additionally, equine veterinarians should develop their clinical skills and knowledge to increase credibility. Meanwhile, perceptions of reliability, empathy and self-orientation can be improved by continuity of care, demonstrating a clear interest in the patient and avoiding rushed consultations, respectively.
© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.
Publication Date: 2024-11-15 PubMed ID: 39545556DOI: 10.1002/vetr.4705Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article explores the level of trust horse owners have in their equine veterinarians, and factors that affect this trust. The study revealed that communication skills, alongside clinical expertise and dedication to the horse’s well-being, significantly influence the trustworthiness of the veterinarian in the eyes of the horse’s owner.
Methodology
- The researchers conducted an anonymous online study, asking horse owners to rate their veterinarians based on credibility, reliability, empathy, and self-orientation. These factors were used to determine the overall level of trustworthiness.
- The veterinarians’ scores in these aspects were compared with scores for other professionals like general practitioners, hairdressers/barbers, and dentists, using statistical tests (Kruskal‒Wallis H-test and post hoc Dunn’s test).
- The influence of the veterinarians’ characteristics and behaviors on the trustworthiness ratings was analyzed using quantitative scoring and thematic analysis.
Results
- The survey received complete responses from 415 horse owners. Their responses showed that equine veterinarians were considered significantly more credible, reliable, and empathetic than general practitioners, hairdressers/barbers, and dentists.
- Based on a trust equation, equine veterinarians received the highest trustworthiness rating (8.33), followed by hairdressers/barbers and dentists (5.5), and then general practitioners (4.75).
Limitations and Conclusions
- One limitation of the study noted by the researchers was that the views represented may not be applicable to all horse owners, as only a small subset participated in the survey.
- The study concluded that good communication skills are crucial in shaping horse owners’ perception of their veterinarian’s credibility, reliability, empathy, and self-orientation.
- It also suggested that equine veterinarians should focus on improving their clinical skills and knowledge to enhance their credibility. Meanwhile, their reliability, empathy, and self-orientation can be elevated by providing steady care, demonstrating a vested interest in the horse’s health, and refraining from hasty consultations.
Cite This Article
APA
Rutherford DJ, England JT.
(2024).
Communication skills influence horse owners’ trust in their equine veterinarians.
Vet Rec, 195(10), e4705.
https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.4705 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK.
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses / psychology
- Veterinarians / psychology
- Humans
- Trust / psychology
- Male
- Female
- Communication
- Adult
- Ownership
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Middle Aged
- Aged
- Young Adult
Citations
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