Chantal Hartmans
Belgium
Research Article
The Doctor's New Clothes: Professional or Fashionable?
Author(s): Chantal Hartmans, Stefanie Heremans, Marieke Lagrain, Kristin Van Asch and Birgitte SchoenmakersChantal Hartmans, Stefanie Heremans, Marieke Lagrain, Kristin Van Asch and Birgitte Schoenmakers
Objective: To investigate the influence of the GP’s attire on the confidence that patients have in their GP as a medical expert and on the patient’s comfort level (defined as ‘feel at ease’). Design: A cross-section study without control group. Methods: Participants (n=1506 ) completed a survey on the internet or in paper after seeing images of six models of three different age categories, each in five different clothing styles (leisure clothing, casual, semiformal, formal and professional). The following questions were asked for each model: “In which doctor do you have the most confidence as a medical expert?” and “With which doctor do you feel most at ease?”. Results: Patients trusted a female doctor and the older male doctor most when wearing professional clothing (white coat). The young and middle aged GP’s were preferred to we.. View More»
