[Effect of face mask type on trust attribution and doctor- patient relationship]

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the wearing of face masks by both psychiatric care workers and patients. Despite their protection against transmission, negative effects - related to mask wearing - on the doctor-patient relationship are reported, which may be more severe in psychiatric patients.

Previous studies did not distinguish between face mask types. In this study, we compared trust in a healthcare provider between three common mask types (cloth, surgical and FFP2) and without.

48 psychiatric patients in (semi)residential care, indicated their trust at four photographs of the same unknown healthcare provider via a structured questionnaire.

Overall, patients rated practitioners with surgical or FFP2 mask as more trustworthy. Participants indicated that they perceive a healthcare provider to be significantly more careful and are less concerned about their lives when the health care provider wears a more protective face mask.

We note that the use of a more protective face mask by healthcare providers leads to patients perceiving them as significantly more trustworthy and competent. Possible reasons for this increase are pandemic-related anxiety and the effect of a professional appearance. Further studies, with larger samples wherein the above factors are investigated, may shed light on this.