Objective: To determine Thai, outpatients’ preference and attitudes towards various styles of a physicians’ attire, whilst they were on duty at Songklanagarind Hospital, within Songkhla province, Thailand.
Material and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Songklanagarind Hospital, Songkhla, Thailand; during the periods of January to March, 2015. Outpatients, who visited and were waiting to see their doctor, were approached by simply, convenience randomization. Demographic characteristics of participants along with their preference on attire were collected by using a self-rating questionnaire enclosed with 3 various styles of attire pictures.
Results: Most patients preferred both male and female physicians, who wore white coats (70.0%), while they were on duty, either during weekdays or over the weekend. Similarly, the patients stated that they trusted physicians, who wore white coats (92.2%), more than those in a style of formal attire, (7.5%) or casual clothing (0.3%) during the weekday due to; a sense of professionalism and knowledge. Although, most patients also preferred physicians wearing white coats over the weekend and holiday periods (50.4%) they could accept a form of smart, casual dress, (45.0%) more so than a style of formal attire (4.7%).
Conclusion: Most patients preferred and tended to trust physicians, who wore white coats during both official and non-official times.