Health Care Provider Hygiene: The Patients' Perspective.

Background: The impact of health care professionals' hygiene on patients' perspectives
of them has not been studied much. The purpose of this survey was to determine if poor
health care provider hygiene and appearance affected patients' perspectives of the provider's competence in the clinical setting. Methods: An anonymous paper survey was presented to patients eighteen years and older for voluntary completion upon checkin at a clinic associated with a college of optometry. The survey asked if patients had encountered health care providers who had poor hygiene and/or appearance, and what effect it had on their perception of these providers. The survey also asked patients to rank how important proper health care provider hygiene and appearance was to them. Results: Bad breath (33.33%) and too much perfume or cologne (26.88%) were the two
most encountered issues for patients. Unpleasant body odor had the most overall effect on
patient perceptions, specifically on the perception of quality of care (66.67%). Next to body odor was sloppy dress. Bad breath had an effect on both patients' perception of quality care and patients' willingness to refer a friend (both 32.25%). Conclusions: Unpleasant body odor had more of an effect on patient perception than sloppy dress. Although many patients felt as though they did not get quality care from the healthcare
providers with poor hygiene, very few were affected enough to change providers.