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This paper explores the effects of health literacy and perceived doctor⁃patient empathy on patient compliance and the mediating role of patient trust. It utilized the modified Chinese Patient Health Literacy Scale, the Empathy Scale for Diagnosis and Treatment Relationships, Wake Forest Physician’s Trust Scale and the Patient Compliance Scale to investigate outpatients in a comprehensive tertiary hospital in Anhui province with 720 valid questionnaires. Correlation analysis showed that health literacy, perceived doctor ⁃ patient empathy, and patient trust were all correlated with patient compliance (r=0.230, r=0.419, r=0.380, P<0.01). The results of structural equation modeling showed that patient trust completely mediates between health literacy and patient compliance. Patient trust partially mediates between perceived doctor ⁃ patient empathy and patient compliance. This paper suggests adopting measures to improve patients’health literacy level, paying attention to the improvement of doctors’ empathy ability for diagnosis and treatment, promoting doctor ⁃ patient communication and doctor⁃patient trust, thereby improving patient compliance and maintaining patient health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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