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Sufferers are nonetheless extra prone to belief medical doctors and take into account them extra skilled once they put on white coats, though ladies medical doctors on this apparel are sometimes misidentified as nurses or medical assistants, finds a evaluation of the out there analysis on the subject, revealed within the open-access journal BMJ Open.
However affected person preferences for medical doctors’ apparel appear to be strongly influenced by scientific context and medical specialty, with a rising acceptance of scrubs, particularly in emergency or high-risk settings, the findings point out.
Within the nineteenth century, medical doctors primarily wore black, as a result of medical encounters had been seen as severe and formal events. However with the rising emphasis on hygiene and scientific developments in drugs, white coats represented cleanliness and professionalism and have become normal apparel for medical doctors worldwide within the twentieth century, be aware the researchers.
Because the publication of a earlier complete evaluation of revealed analysis on the impression of medical doctors’ apparel at work, which highlighted the numerous function this has in affected person satisfaction, belief, and adherence to medical recommendation, well being care practices and societal expectations have advanced, they clarify.
The researchers subsequently wished to replace these findings, broadening the scope to incorporate various scientific contexts, in a bid to realize a deeper understanding of how medical doctors’ apparel would possibly affect interactions with sufferers and therapy outcomes.
They scoured analysis databases for related research revealed between January 2015 and August 2024. From an preliminary haul of 724 research, 32 had been eligible for inclusion within the evaluation.
Many of the research had been carried out within the U.S. (17); two every got here from Japan, China, and Pakistan; and the remaining had been carried out in Indonesia, India, Ethiopia, Korea, Germany, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Switzerland.
Medical setting had some bearing on affected person preferences. For instance, palliative care medical doctors’ apparel did not have an effect on sufferers’ belief, or assessments of the practitioner’s capabilities, however sufferers most popular emergency care medical doctors to put on white coats or scrubs. And so they had been comfortable for major care medical doctors to be dressed casually and to put on white coats.
Specialty additionally appeared to affect perceptions, with affected person preferences for medical doctors to put on white coats noticed in orthopedics, surgical procedure, dermatology, ophthalmology, and obstetrics and gynecology, for instance.
The included research indicated a definite desire amongst sufferers for male medical doctors to put on fits. One examine indicated that equipment, reminiscent of watches and glasses worn by male medical doctors, considerably enhanced perceived professionalism and trustworthiness, which aligns with the findings of beforehand revealed research, be aware the researchers.
The UK, nonetheless, has carried out a ‘naked beneath the elbows’ coverage, which bans medical doctors from sporting white coats, watches, ties and lengthy sleeves to reduce an infection dangers.
And even when female and male medical doctors wore an identical apparel, feminine medical doctors had been nonetheless extra prone to be misidentified as nurses or medical assistants—a misidentification that was persistently noticed throughout completely different cultural settings.
However sufferers most popular white coats over enterprise or informal apparel for each female and male medical doctors, and no matter gender, they favored medical doctors sporting white coats, perceiving these practitioners to be reliable, respectful, expert, communicative and empathetic.
Notably, male surgeons sporting a white coat over scrubs had been appeared on much less favorably than these sporting a swimsuit with a white coat, scrubs, or only a swimsuit. Alternatively, feminine surgeons in white coats over scrubs had been most popular over these in fits or informal apparel.
“This preference aligns with recent evidence indicating that female physicians are often judged more on appearance than their male counterparts. The way female physicians dress significantly influences perceptions of competence and professionalism, highlighting the gendered expectations that patients hold,” write the researchers.
“These gender-specific preferences for surgical attire were each supported by a single study and warrant further validation… Nonetheless, gender-related perceptions of physician attire were consistently reported across studies with a low risk of bias, supporting the robustness of this theme,” they add.
A couple of research explored medical doctors’ apparel throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, when quite a few medical doctors reported a desire for sporting scrubs to prioritize hygiene and ease of motion.
These research persistently reported a shift in affected person desire in direction of sensible and hygienic apparel, reminiscent of scrubs and face masks, reflecting heightened sensitivity to an infection management, say the researchers.
The researchers acknowledge numerous limitations to their findings, specifically the truth that many of the included research had been carried out within the U.S., there have been none from South America, and just a few from European, Asian, and African international locations. Lots of the research additionally relied on self-reported information, and none included youngsters or sufferers with psychological well being points.
“While the traditional white coat is seen as a symbol of professionalism and trust, patients have increasingly accepted scrubs, especially in emergency or high-risk settings,” they write.
“The expectations regarding attire are often gendered, particularly affecting the recognition and respect given to female physicians, which highlights the importance of institutional initiatives aimed at reducing bias and fostering equitable perceptions among patients,” they add.
Medical establishments ought to take into account adopting versatile gown codes that align with affected person preferences for various scientific environments and medical specialties, they recommend.
Extra data:
Affected person notion of doctor apparel: a scientific evaluation replace, BMJ Open (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-100824
Offered by
British Medical Journal
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Sufferers nonetheless view physician’s white coat as image of professionalism and belief, evaluation suggests (2025, August 12)
retrieved 12 August 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-08-patients-view-doctor-white-coat.html
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