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Am J Perinatol 2023; 40(08): 898-905
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1732419
Original Article

Parent Preferences for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Physician Attire: A Cross-Sectional Study

Parul Cham
1   Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan
,
Naomi Laventhal
1   Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan
2   University of Michigan, Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
,
Heather Burrows
3   Division of General and Ambulatory Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan
,
Vineet Chopra
4   Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
5   Department of Internal Medicine, Veterans Administration Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan
,
Gary M. Weiner
1   Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan
› Author Affiliations Funding None.
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Abstract

Objective Physician attire may influence the parent-provider relationship. Previous studies in adult and outpatient pediatrics showed that formal attire with a white coat was preferred. We aimed to describe parent preferences for physician attire in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Study Design We surveyed 101 parents in a level IV NICU. The survey included photographs of a physician in seven different attires. Attire was scored in five domains and parents selected the most preferred attire in different contexts. All attires were compared with formal attire with white coat. Descriptive statistics, Fisher's exact tests, and one-way analysis of variance were used to compare parent responses.

Results Scrubs without white coat (40.8 [7.0]) and formal attire without white coat (39.7 [8.0]) had the highest mean (standard deviation) composite preference scores. However, no significant differences between formal attire with white coat (37.1 [9.0]) versus any other attire were observed. When asked to choose a single most preferred attire, scrubs with a coat (32%) and formal with a coat (32%) were chosen most often, but preferences varied by clinical context and parent age. For example, parents preferred surgical scrubs for physicians performing procedures. Parents indicated that physician attire is important to them but does not influence their satisfaction with care.

Conclusion Although parents generally favored formal attire and scrubs, the variations based on the context of care and lack of significant preference of one attire suggests that a single dress code policy for physicians in a NICU is unlikely to improve the patient-provider relationship.

Key Points

  • Adult patients prefer doctors to wear formal attire.

  • Physician attire preferences influenced by age, setting, and context of care.

  • Little is known about physician attire preferences of the parents of neonates.

  • Unlike adult patients, NICU parents did not prefer formal attire with a white coat.

Keywords

neonatal intensive care unit - physician attire - patient preference - physician and patient relations

Authors' Contributions

P.C. conceptualized and designed the study, adapted the data collection instrument, coordinated and supervised data collection, performed the initial analyses, drafted the initial manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted.


N.L. conceptualized and designed the study, participated in the analysis and interpretation of data, reviewed and revised the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted.


H.B. conceptualized and designed the study, pilot tested the data collection instrument, participated in the analysis and interpretation of data, reviewed and revised the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted.


V.C. conceptualized and designed the study, designed the data collection instrument, participated in the analysis and interpretation of data, reviewed and revised the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted.


G.M.W. conceptualized and designed the study, adapted the data collection instrument, participated in the analysis and interpretation of data, reviewed and revised the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted.




Publication History

Received: 19 April 2021

Accepted: 01 June 2021

Article published online:
16 July 2021

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