A study found that patients believe that doctors in a professional white coat are confident, but they often mistake a female doctor wearing one for a nurse or medical assistant.
Doctors are not fairly judged on the basis of appearance and clothes, which affected patients’ perceptions of professionalism and efficiency, “according to Global evidence of evidence About patients’ impressions of what doctors wear.
She said: “Doctors often judge more appearance than their male counterparts,” she said.
“The way doctors wear greatly affects the perceptions of efficiency and professional efficiency, while highlighting the sexual expectations that patients keep.
“Even when male and female doctors were wearing identical clothes, it was still likely to be recognized as nurses or medical assistants.”
The researchers found that “sexual perceptions of doctors’ uniforms” were present in the 13 countries that were studied, including the United States, India, Japan, China and Germany.
The paper, published in the BMJ Open, is based on an analysis of 32 studies published in advance about doctors ’clothes perceptions.
The authors participating in the paper wrote: “The expectations related to clothes are often sexy, especially those that affect the recognition and respect granted to female doctors,” the authors participating in the paper wrote.
This behavior is so widespread that hospitals and other healthcare providers should try to reduce the bias between patients and “enhance fair perceptions” of male and female paramedics.
The white coat was a symbol of medical expertise for decades. Its association with patients with hygiene and professional efficiency means that “white medical coats have become the usual clothes of doctors all over the world in the twentieth century.”
Until then, doctors wore black clothes in general to reflect the danger of meetings with patients.
The study found that people who receive health care find reassuring white reassurance.
“Regardless of sex, patients have shown favorable situations towards doctors who wear white coats, and they see doctors as trustworthy, respectful, skilled, communication and sympathy.”
The white coat is still widely used by doctors all over the world. However, it was banned in the United Kingdom in 2008, when the government decided that the NHS paramedics should follow a “naked undernechers” approach to reduce the risk of spreading infections. The British Medical Association was not sure that the evidence justified change.
Although patients preferred to doctors who wear official clothes, the Covid-19 pandemic made them more acceptable than scrubs.
“Patients tend to feel more comfortable with doctors who wear scrubs after Covid-19 stopped. While the traditional white coat is seen as a symbol of professionalism and confidence, patients have an increasingly acceptable scrub, especially in emergency or high-risk settings,” researchers found.
Globally, male doctors seem to have another advantage in the minds of many patients in relation to what they wear.
“Patient perceptions of male doctors’ accessories have shown that details such as watches and glasses greatly affect professionalism and merit with confidence,” and adds to their perceived authority.