Date of Conferral
5-22-2025
Date of Award
May 2025
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Public Health
Advisor
Julia Leischner
Abstract
End stage renal disease requires dietary education and behavior modifications to manage the condition. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the role of rapport and trust between the patients and registered dietitians and its impact on self-efficacy. The study was implemented over 12 weeks in multi-site dialysis units in urban Georgia. The health belief model was used as the framework to explain the participants’ desire toward self-efficacy. Data were obtained for the 14-item Health Care Relationship Trust scale and the self-efficacy scales and analyzed using multiple linear regression. A convenience sample of 125 patients between the ages of 21 and 74 participated in the study. The study revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between trust and self-efficacy. The overall regression model was significant, F (5, 120) = 3.03, p = .013. While age, gender, race, and income level were not significant predictors (p > .05), trust emerged as a highly significant predictor of self-efficacy (p < .001). The unstandardized beta value suggests that for every one-point increase in trust scores, self-efficacy scores increase by .175 points. Rapport was not significantly associated with self-efficacy when accounting for age, gender, race, and income level as indicated by (p >.05) for all predictor variables. The overall model was not significant, F (5, 120) = .919, p = .471. Future research should focus on the cultural preferences and healthcare beliefs in the hemodialysis population including a health literacy assessment before providing nutrition education, examining perception of rapport and trust among minorities and healthcare providers, and extending the time of data collection. The study’s implications for social change include providing information that can be used to encourage trust and rapport among an underserved hemodialysis community and dietetic practitioners, which could lead to better patient outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Broussard, Michelle Denise, "Renal Patients’ Perception of Self-Efficacy Through Rapport and Trust with Registered Dietitians" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17848.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17848
