Young children's perceptions of physicians wearing standard precautions versus customary attire

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Patient-Physician Relationship
• Infection Control Attire

Background:

• Understanding patient perceptions of healthcare provider attire is crucial for effective communication and trust.
• Standard precautions attire, often used during infectious disease outbreaks like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), may influence patient comfort and perception.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate preferences of young children (aged 4-8) and their parents regarding physician attire in a pediatric emergency department.
• To assess the impact of different physician attire, including standard precautions clothing, on children's and parents' likability ratings.

Main Methods:

• 197 children (4-8 years) and their parents from a tertiary care pediatric emergency department participated.
• Participants viewed photographs of male and female physicians in formal, white coat, scrubs, and SARS standard precautions attire.
• Children and parents indicated their most and least liked attire, while parents completed a questionnaire on their emergency department experiences.

Main Results:

• Children least preferred the SARS standard precautions attire (53.3%).
• Parents overwhelmingly disliked the SARS standard precautions attire (94.8%), with none selecting it as most liked.
• Children found the SARS attire least appealing compared to formal wear, white coats, or scrubs.

Conclusions:

• Physicians in pediatric emergency departments should consider the potential negative impact of standard precautions attire on their rapport with young patients.
• The visual perception of healthcare attire by pediatric patients and their caregivers is an important factor in the clinical encounter.
• Further research may explore alternative or modified standard precautions attire to improve patient comfort and acceptance.