Objective: To determine patient preferences for doctor attire in a tertiary care hospital of Islamabad, Pakistan.
Methodology: Using a cross-sectional study design, a total of 120 participants were selected using systematic random sampling from Shifa Falahi clinic, Shifa International hospital, Islamabad. An interview based pre-tested semi structured questionnaire consisting of both open and close ended questions was used for data collection. Data were analysed using SPSS version 23.
Results: Out of 120 patients, 89 (74.2%) were female and 31 (25.8%) male. Out of these, 115 (95.8%) preferred white coats and name tags on them. Around 95 (79.1%) believed that doctors clothing was important to generate respect from patients while 74 (61.7%) stated that it affects their decision to be treated by them. The most preferred attire for male doctors was western attire with white coat (48.3%) and the most desired attire for female doctors was national attire with white coat (40%).
Conclusion: Our results highlight patient views regarding their preferred physician attire, which can serve as a guide to improve patientsÂ’ respect and enhance confidence in doctors in Pakistan.
Key words: Physician attire, doctor attire, physician clothing, patient trust, patient preferences.
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