Dress and address in hospital psychiatry: an issue?

AbstractBackground and aims: To assess the preferences of Dutch psychiatric patients in three general hospital psychiatric settings for the dress of psychiatrists and patients preference to be addressed by psychiatrists. To assess the associations concerning different clothing styles and the attributes of the patient–doctor relationship.Methods: One hundred and seventy-three adults, in and outpatients (aged 18–89 years) attending the psychiatry departments of three general hospitals, were included during the period June 2015 to May 2016. In these hospitals, the psychiatrist staff has different clothing policies. Data were analyzed with SPSS21.Results: Divided over the three hospitals, 173 patients were included, 96 inpatients and 77 outpatients. The patients’ opinions on the psychiatrists' dress differed significantly between the hospitals in line with the local hospital clothing policy (p = 0.002 for the male psychiatrists, p = 0.000 for the female psychiatrists). The patients’ ethnicity significantly in...