Table 4.
Opinion regarding importance and appropriateness of physician attire in different settings by gender and age, n=834
| Opinions regarding influence and appropriateness of physician dress | Gender; N (%) | P value | Age (years); N (%) | P value | ||
| Male | Female | <65 | ≥65 | |||
| How my doctor dresses is important to me. | n=498 | n=302 | 0.128 | n=672 | n=134 | 0.047 |
| Strongly disagree/disagree | 172 (34) | 85 (28) | 222 (33) | 35 (26) | ||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 158 (32) | 98 (32) | 219 (33) | 38 (28) | ||
| Agree/strongly agree | 168 (34) | 119 (39) | 231 (34) | 61 (46) | ||
| How my doctor dresses influence how happy I am with the care I receive. | n=497 | n=302 | 0.638 | n=671 | n=133 | 0.001 |
| Strongly disagree/disagree | 282 (57) | 169 (56) | 395 (59) | 58 (44) | ||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 99 (20) | 68 (22) | 137 (20) | 30 (22) | ||
| Agree/strongly agree | 116 (23) | 65 (22) | 139 (21) | 45 (34) | ||
| It is appropriate for a doctor to dress casually when seeing patients over the weekend. | n=492 | n=299 | 0.008 | n=663 | n=134 | 0.027 |
| Strongly disagree/disagree | 130 (26) | 109 (36) | 212 (32) | 28 (21) | ||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 87 (18) | 52 (18) | 119 (18) | 24 (18) | ||
| Agree/strongly agree | 275 (56) | 138 (46) | 332 (50) | 82 (61) | ||
| Doctors should wear a white coat when seeing patients in their office. | n=497 | n=302 | 0.368 | n=671 | n=134 | 0.559 |
| Strongly disagree/disagree | 146 (29) | 89 (30) | 200 (30) | 37 (28) | ||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 112 (23) | 56 (18) | 144 (22) | 25 (19) | ||
| Agree/strongly agree | 239 (48) | 157 (52) | 327 (48) | 72 (54) | ||
| Doctors should wear a white coat when seeing patients in the emergency department. | n=496 | n=300 | 0.073 | n=668 | n=134 | 0.370 |
| Strongly disagree/disagree | 72 (14) | 27 (9) | 89 (13) | 12 (9) | ||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 45 (9) | 28 (9) | 61 (9) | 12 (9) | ||
| Agree/strongly agree | 379 (76) | 245 (82) | 518 (78) | 110 (82) | ||
| Doctors should wear a white coat when seeing patients in the hospital. | n=497 | n=300 | 0.145 | n=670 | n=133 | 0.284 |
| Strongly disagree/disagree | 63 (13) | 30 (10) | 81 (12) | 12 (9) | ||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 83 (17) | 39 (13) | 110 (16) | 17 (13) | ||
| Agree/strongly agree | 351 (71) | 231 (77) | 479 (72) | 104 (78) | ||
| Doctors should always wear a white coat when seeing patients in any setting. | n=497 | n=303 | 0.085 | n=672 | n=134 | 0.006 |
| Strongly disagree/disagree | 211 (42) | 127 (42) | 294 (44) | 46 (34) | ||
| Neither agree nor disagree | 134 (27) | 64 (21) | 172 (26) | 28 (21) | ||
| Agree/strongly agree | 152 (31) | 112 (37) | 206 (31) | 60 (45) | ||