Public Perceives Pharmacists as Some of the Most Trusted Professionals

Pharmacists are again among the most highly trusted people in their occupations, according to a recent Gallup poll.^1,2

The poll ranked pharmacists third among professionals in the United States for honesty and ethical standards, with 66% of respondents rating their trustworthiness as “very high” or “high.”¹

Pharmacists ranked behind nurses (84% rated “very high” or “high”), who held the top spot for the 17th consecutive year, and medical doctors (67%). High school teachers (60%) and police officers (54%) rounded out the top 5 most trusted professionals.¹

Poll responses were collected in telephone interviews conducted by Gallup from December 3 to 12, 2018, with a random sample of 1025 US adults 18 years and older. Respondents resided in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Landline and cellular telephone numbers were selected using random-digit-dial methods, according to Gallup.¹

At the bottom of the 2018 ranking for trustworthiness were members of Congress and car salespeople, both of whom earned an 8% rating of “very high” or “high” for honesty and ethical standards. Telemarketers (9%) were third from the bottom.¹

Many other occupations, including accountants, funeral directors, clergy, journalists, building contractors, bankers, and real estate agents, had more “average” levels of trust from poll respondents.¹

Pharmacists’ ranking in the 2018 Gallup poll is an improvement over their place in the previous year’s Gallup poll, which placed these professionals fifth among occupations included in the survey. Previously, 62% of respondents rated the honesty and ethical standards of pharmacists as “high” or “very high.”²

In 2017, military officers and grade school teachers ranked in the top 5 for trusted professionals in the Gallup poll. However, neither of those occupations was included in the 2018 poll.¹

Gallup has measured the public’s views of various occupations’ honesty and ethics since 1976. Although the rankings and the list of included occupations change each year, the latest poll’s results revealed that health care workers are consistently rated highly for their trustworthiness.¹

REFERENCES

• Brenan M. Nurses again outpace other professions for honesty, ethics. Gallup website. news.gallup.com/poll/245597/nurses-again-outpace-professions-honesty -ethics.aspx. Published December 20, 2018. Accessed February 26, 2019.
• Brenan M. Nurses keep healthy lead as most honest, ethical profession. Gallup website.news.gallup.com/poll/224639/nurses-keep-healthy-lead-honest-ethical-profession.aspx. Published December 26, 2017. Accessed February 26, 2019.