To dress up for doctor’s appointments?

[PollencaCalling]

Really re: classism in medicine!

Unless desperately ill I never go to see a GP/consultant etc without making sure that I’m looking well put together. Of course I’m not talking formal attire - just nice, tidy outfit and good hair/makeup. My opinion is that this way things are taken more seriously, and from experience this has been the case. Spoke about it with a friend earlier who thinks I’m bonkers!

Although it shouldn’t be the case I do think that to some extent I am justified in thinking this. Some doctors certainly do still have a class bias and I have experienced it myself. Took DD to A&E a few years ago and got quite a nasty doctor who implied that she was making it up! Once she took her coat off and revealed a hoodie from her (quite MC grammar school) his opinion of her completely changed and he couldn’t have been more pleasant or helpful. It really bothered me at the time and has stuck with me since

To be honest I don’t know. It’s a bit confusing but I think if your face fits, you’ll get good service regardless of what you wear/hair/makeup. Whether that’s having a good accent/voice, an attractive natural face, a good figure etc.

For me personally I’ve been to my doctors with/without makeup, in work attire, in gym attire, in casual clothes etc and haven’t really noticed a difference. If anything, I found they were slightly more helpful before I asked them for mental health support. So I was judged more for my health needs themselves as opposed to what I looked like.

It's a documented phenomenon, and as well as the class bias, there's also a significant race bias. Patients who aren't "turned out" properly are more likely to be dismissed as malingering or drug seeking. It's not just clothes but also accent, vocabulary etc.

Health care workers who insist they don't judge on appearance are being naive about the impact of unconscious bias, and should reflect on how many notes they've read from colleagues that reflect it.

I do think you have a point (sadly!) I dont bother to dress up (maternity leave, small baby! Can’t be bothered! 😂) but I do sometimes send my DH with the children and he is often wearing his work suit and tie and I’d say he is very good at getting taken seriously. Unconscious classism snd sexism maybe.

He once went to the doctors because he felt a bit generally ‘under the weather’ and they did urine, full bloods the works!! I said if I’d gone there and just said that I’d have been sent on my merry way!!!

Are you in the US? Because you can sue in the UK without personal resources if your case is compelling enough.

If a dr is biased no amount of dressing up would help. I feel more dismissed and judged because of my ethnicity, sex, age and weight.
I would say your home address and accent have a bigger effect particularly as many clothes look samey these days and casual clothes are the norm.

I've had hospital staff assume I was a doctor in hospitals before because I was dressed in (what I think of as) normal clothes and most other patients were in tracksuits. This was for audiology, not deaths door treatment. It wasn't something I'd noticed before or since.

Actually, sadly, I couldn't agree more. I've been shocked at the dismissive way I've been treated by many doctors over the years. It's got so bad that for my next appointment in a few months, my husband suggested he's coming with me!

While I accept unconscious bias is a thing, I think it's more than just clothes and makeup (it better be, given I wear make up perhaps 2-3 times a year and am always clean but not smartly dressed) and more accent, occupation, level of education and so on. I am obese, and a scruff, but have always had excellent treatment from the NHS staff I have interacted with. That's been quite a lot over the last few years as carer for my elderly mother. It's quite depressing to think that that might just be because we're articulate and relatively well-spoken and not drunk/offensive/aggressive. My mother on the other hand credits her "Fuck the Tories pants" ....

If you're not doing anything differently for the doctor, what was the point of the thread?

I've been told to wear loose, comfortable, elastic-waisted clothes for my upcoming outpatients procedure BTW. And no makeup, no nailpolish, a bunch of other things I can't remember but wouldn't have been doing anyway.

This is true, at least for GPs. Studies have shown GPs often take smartly dressed person more seriously.

I notice it when I go straight from work to GP, in tailored clothes and make up. Especially if I have a jacket on!
When I'm wearing jeans and trainers or sandals and casual dress, they seem less helpful.

How bizarre. Of course doctors look at much more than this. And they are human, so have the same unconscious bias as the rest of society.

I'm generally dressed reasonably anyway and I would wear what I would generally wear if I was going out of the house, like I would for a local shopping trip.

And are the significantly wealthy “old money” cohort popping into the surgery in Moss Side or the Gorbals? Thought not. It’s going to be pretty obvious they are well off, when they pop into the surgery in their nice area wearing quality clothing.

The only time iv known the way you look to be an issue in healthcare is when it's to do with mental health and in that case looking nice will do you no favours

Exactly. And I believe it’s been found that patient pain is taken more seriously as well.

You are right, despite some of the pp's claiming your bonkers. I have worked in healthcare a long time, both in the UK and other countries. I have seen people dismissed and told to leave, whilst others complaining with the 'right' accent get the investigations they want (often unnecessarily) just to be sure. It's a very fine line, that most people won't see. People in obvious, genuine need, regardless of look and presentations will be seen and treated, I'm talking more about those who present with subtly symptoms, the nagging abdo pain that just won't go away, repeated migraines, back pain, etc....if you think there isnt a health care bias, you're sadly mistaken. There is also multiple research to say that men's abdominal pain is treated quicker, more effectively and investigated further than women's. Men will be given stronger pain relief, and quicker, because women are frequently dismissed as it being 'something gynae' a testicular torsion is a medical emergency. A possible ovarian torsion.......eh, those pesky women's bits.......same for patients who look a certain way. unconsciously you'll often see more investigations if you're presenting with the 'right' accent

I don’t think it’s how you dress but class is probably right.

I was often told I look younger and would have disapproving looks when out with my kids when they were little - even mistaken for their sister. I took them to an appointment with a surgeon, as I wanted my husband to hear the outcome. I was spoken to appallingly as if I was making it up. I read medical journals and knew my stuff but none of my views were being respected at all.

Accepting this was going nowhere I revealed that I had another appointment with a different surgeon who was a personal contact of a family member. The turn around was shocking. Suddenly friendly and absolutely she would do the surgery. Turned out I was right about the extent of the issue as the surgery was a lot more difficult than expected.

It’s really saddening that I have found female doctors worse than male for this kind of reaction. Most female doctors are lovely however, while male tend to be a bit crap or good but never outright rude. Same with non doctors, eg my best and worst managers were women.

It is true, shouldn’t be but it is. Not of all GPs/doctors but it is and it’s not usually a conscious choice either (lots of psychology behind how first impressions affect care/services given). I work in healthcare and I’ve noticed it a few times. I also don’t believe it stops in healthcare, hairdressers, dentists ect, ect. If you look more professional/put together people take you more seriously. Shouldn’t happen but 100% does!

For GP or outpatients yes OP is right. Being neat and up together gives a good impression. One sees it in Sales people all the time.
My DH used to take our DC for appointments and always wore a dark suit as did the Consultant.

:-) That was exactly the experience I had. Listed my qualifications etc and had already registered with all the recruitment agencies in my area, sent my CV off to multiple companies, along with searching online and the chap behind the counter tilted his head to one side and was like "soooo, do you think you can check the local newspaper once a week "!!!

When I'm seeking medical care is the only time I use my title 'Dr'.' outside of academia.
It makes a HUGE difference in the care I recieve.

One thing I have found really interesting - and slightly alarming - is how many doctors don't understand statistics. I never start an academic dick-measuring contest, but I've had a consultant try to start one with me when he realized my PhD involved statistical modelling. It was a man of course.

I think you would be taken more seriously if you look scruffy. If you are genuinely unwell you don’t have the time to think about looking tidy

Don't be daft

Did the pj'd person have MH issues or were they just the laziest, most slovenly, and disgusting of people?

I don't know about 'dress up' exactly, but unless I was so ill that I couldn't manage it, I always dress reasonably smartly for any kind of appointment. I just think it's good manners. When i go to the doctor, my choices are mainly governed by practicality - if I'm going to be asked to undress, I take that into account in terms of ease.

I tend to wear old clothes at home for housework/gardening/chilling out, and change into something more presentable when I go out. Nobody wants to see me in my 'relaxing trousers' or grotty t-shirt!