Patient Perceptions of Physician Dress Depend on Setting
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 13, 2025 -- Physician attire impacts patients' perceptions of professionalism, trust, and communication, but perceptions are highly context-dependent, according to a review published online Aug. 12 in BMJ Open.
Janghyeon Kim, from Hwasung Medi-Science University in South Korea, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to understand patient perceptions of physician attire.
Based on 28 studies, the researchers found that patient preferences for physician attire varied significantly by clinical context, medical specialty, and physician gender. Mixed evidence was reported in outpatient and primary care settings, with some studies suggesting that a combination of casual attire and white coats may foster approachability and communication, while others showed no clear preference. However, in high-acuity settings (e.g., emergency rooms and operating theaters), scrubs were consistently favored, indicating moderate-to-strong evidence for the association with professionalism and preparedness. Male physicians were perceived as more professional when wearing formal attire with white coats. However, female physicians in similar attire were often misidentified as nurses or assistants. There were preferences for white coats in dermatology, neurosurgery, and ophthalmology, while scrubs were preferred in anesthesiology and gastroenterology.
"The collective findings provide robust evidence that these perceptions are highly context-dependent, necessitating adaptable dress codes tailored to clinical environments and patient expectations to enhance trust and patient satisfaction," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2025
Read this next
Socioeconomic Deprivation Tied to Neurodegeneration in Combat Athletes
THURSDAY, Aug. 14, 2025 -- Athletes experiencing early-life socioeconomic disadvantage may have an increased risk for neurodegeneration from exposure to repetitive head injury...
ADHD Drug Treatment Linked to Reduced Rate of Adverse Outcomes
THURSDAY, Aug. 14, 2025 -- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drug treatment is associated with reduced rates of adverse outcome events, including suicidality...
2009 to 2023 Saw Increase in Use of Technology, Glycemic Control in Type 1 Diabetes
THURSDAY, Aug. 14, 2025 -- From 2009 to 2023, there was an increase in use of diabetes technology and in glycemic control among youths and adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D)...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.