title: Evidence-based physicians' dressing: a crossover trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the effect of physicians' dress on patient confidence and trust.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective crossover trial involving physicians dressed in "respectable" versus "retro" attire.
  
  
  METHODS
  A general medicine ward at a tertiary hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  12 male general physicians and 1680 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient trust and confidence as measured by a questionnaire mailed after hospital discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Formal attire was correlated with higher patient confidence and trust. Nose rings were particularly deleterious to patients' reported trust and confidence. A minimum threshold of two items of formal attire (dress pants, dress shirt, tie, or white coat) were necessary to inspire a reasonable amount of confidence; this is the NND (number needed to dress).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We highlight the need for more research into the effects of physician dress, and coin the term "evidence-based dressing".
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, John Hunter Hospital, Hunter Region Mail Centre, NSW. knair@mail.newcastle.edu.au
authors.forename: Balakrishnan R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Mears
authors.forename: Karen I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Hitchcock
mesh_terms: D003020:Clothing / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D014925:Wit and Humor as Topic