Table 7.

The Sobel test of the mediating effect of patients’ trust in the physician.

Hypothesis and path				Path coefficient (SD)		Sobel test statistic		P value
Hypothesis 8a				N/Ab		6.5734		<.001
	PSPMSc→PUd
		Without mediator	.120 (0.054)		N/A		.02
		With mediator	−.055 (0.052)		N/A		.29
	PSPMS→Te		−.476 (0.053)		N/A		<.001
	T→PU		−.492 (0.051)		N/A		<.001
Hypothesis 10f				N/A		5.2280		<.001
	FPOg→PU
		Without mediator	.656 (0.040)		N/A		<.001
		With mediator	.579 (0.047)		N/A		<.001
	FPO→T		−.380 (0.047)		N/A		<.001
	T→PU		−.281 (0.041)		N/A		<.001

^aFully mediated.

^bN/A: not applicable.

^cPSPMS: perceived information scarcity about the physicians’ medical services.

^dPU: patients’ uncertainty about the physician.

^eT: patients’ trust in the physician.

^fPartially mediated.

^gFPO: fears of physician’s opportunism.