Determinants of trust among ethnic minority community members towards community-based organisations and leaders during pandemics and other emergencies in Australia.

Publication date: Aug 03, 2026

Effective pandemic plans must be applicable to all members of our communities. However, people from multicultural communities with diverse language needs often engage with a wide range of organisations and individuals when seeking information during a pandemic or health emergency. Despite this, there is limited evidence on levels of trust and the influence of these sources on promoting community engagement with pandemic preparedness activities in high-income settings. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among members of ethnic minority communities in Australia who self-identified with one or more of six selected language or cultural groups. The survey, available in translated online and paper formats, incorporated several validated instruments and included both closed and open-ended items. Cross-tabulation analyses were used to examine associations between participant characteristics and levels of trust in community organisations and community leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. 590 completed responses were included in the study. Participants were aged between 18 and ≥95 years old and identified as: Arabic (28. 7%), Chinese (24. 7%), Bangladeshi (22. 3%), Pasifika (10%), Nepalese (8. 2%) or Ezidi (6. 1%). Predictors of moderate-to-very high trust in community-based organisations (CBOs) included participants who had arrived in Australia ≥20 years ago and had previously sought information from community groups, local councils and community workers. Likewise, moderate-to-very high trust in community leaders was more common among those who were more willing to seek assistance, arrived in Australia ≥20 years ago, were aged between 35 and 44 and had higher trust in community groups. Results indicated that trust in CBOs and community leaders was associated with willingness to seek assistance, satisfaction with communication efforts, trusted local councils and longer settlement in Australia; however, these associations may not reflect the reach or influence of community organisations and leaders across all ethnic minority groups.

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