Hospitalised patients' views on doctors and white coats.
OBJECTIVE
To determine hospitalised patients' feelings, perceptions and attitudes towards doctors and how these are affected by whether or not doctors wear a white coat.


METHODS
Cross-sectional questionnaire survey.


METHODS
The medical and surgical wards of two Sydney teaching hospitals, on one day in January 1999.


METHODS
154 of 200 consecutive patients (77%).


METHODS
The effects of white-coat-wearing on patients' feelings and ability to communicate and on their perceptions of the doctor; why patients think doctors wear white coats and their preferences for the wearing of white coats and doctors' attire in general; and patients' rating of the importance of these effects and preferences.


RESULTS
Patients reported that white-coat-wearing improved all aspects of the patient-doctor interaction, and that when doctors wore white coats they seemed more hygienic, professional, authoritative and scientific. The more important that patients considered an aspect, the greater the positive effect associated with wearing a white coat. From a list of doctors' reasons for wearing white coats, patients thought that doctors wore white coats because it made them seem more professional, hygienic, authoritative, scientific, competent, knowledgeable and approachable. 36% of the patients preferred doctors to wear white coats, 19% preferred them not to wear white coats and 45% did not mind.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients reported feeling more confident and better able to communicate with doctors who wore white coats. The recognition, symbolism and formality afforded by a white coat may enhance communication and facilitate the doctor-patient relationship.
Gooden
B R
BR
Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW.
Smith
M J
MJ
Tattersall
S J
SJ
Stockler
M R
MR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D003020:Clothing / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population