Patient Perception of Healthcare Attire: Scrubs vs. Lab Coats
Patients perceive healthcare professionals wearing scrubs as more hygienic than those wearing lab coats, especially after being informed about infection control considerations. 1
Patient Perceptions of Healthcare Attire
Healthcare workers wear uniforms such as scrubs and lab coats for multiple purposes:
- To identify themselves as hospital personnel 2
- To display professionalism to patients and colleagues 2
- To provide barrier protection for their street clothes from unexpected exposures during work 2
Initial Patient Perceptions
- Without specific infection control information, patients generally do not show significant preference between most professional healthcare attire options 1
- Casual dress is consistently rated as less appropriate by patients in healthcare settings 1
- Traditional lab coats and scrubs are both initially viewed as equally appropriate professional attire 1
Perceptions After Infection Control Education
When patients are informed about infection control considerations:
- Patient preferences shift significantly toward attire that minimizes infection risk 1
- Short-sleeved attire (scrubs and short-sleeved shirts/tops) becomes strongly preferred over long-sleeved options like traditional lab coats 1
- For male healthcare workers, patients show no significant difference in preference between short-sleeved shirts and scrubs 1
- For female healthcare workers, patients demonstrate a statistically significant preference for scrubs over other options (p=0.0005) 1
Infection Control Considerations
The perception of hygiene is important because:
- Healthcare workers' apparel can become contaminated with microorganisms that may cause infections 2
- There is growing evidence that uniforms may play a role in the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens 2
- Poor adherence to hand hygiene practices remains a primary contributor to healthcare-associated infections 3
Important Caveats
- Despite perceptions, there is no definitive scientific evidence that the use of scrubs or other related apparel directly contributes to either causing or preventing healthcare-associated infections 4
- Antimicrobial scrubs marketed to reduce bacterial contamination have not shown significant benefits in controlled studies 5
- In one randomized controlled trial, there was no significant difference in bacterial contamination between standard scrubs and antimicrobial scrubs after an 8-hour workday 5
Practical Implications for Healthcare Settings
Based on patient perceptions and infection control considerations:
- Healthcare facilities should consider patient perceptions of hygiene when establishing dress code policies 1
- Short-sleeved attire options may be preferable from both patient perception and theoretical infection control perspectives 1
- Regardless of attire choice, proper hand hygiene remains the most critical factor in preventing pathogen transmission 3
- Hand hygiene is always necessary even when gloves are worn 3
Multidisciplinary Approach to Attire Policies
Healthcare facilities should develop attire policies through a multidisciplinary approach involving:
- Infection control specialists 4
- Nursing representatives 4
- Medical staff 4
- Administration 4
- Human resources 4
- Materials management 4
This ensures that policies address both patient perceptions and practical infection control considerations while maintaining professional standards.