Patients' attitudes toward the attire of male physicians: A single-center study in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The doctor-patient relationship has been influenced by the appearance of physicians, and there is an association between a physician's physical appearance and the patients' initial perceptions of physician competence. This study aims to explore patients' preferences toward the attire of a male physician, and to examine if a physician's choice of uniform influences the degree of trust, confidence, and follow-up care among respondents. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: A cross-sectional survey conducted among patients of the Alwazarat family medicine center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 300 patients (50% were male and 83.6% had received a secondary education; the mean age was 33.4 [10.1] years) in the Alwazarat family medicine center in Riyadh. The questionnaire was also customized for the local setting with the inclusion of photos of a male doctor in Saudi Arabian national costume, and 3 other dress styles (Western dress with white coat, scrubs with white coat, and scrubs only). RESULTS: Overall, across all questions regarding physician dress style preferences, participants significantly preferred Western dress (39.9%, P