Investigation of the effects of veterinarians' attire on ratings of trust, confidence, and comfort in a sample of pet owners in Canada

'It's our job': Constraints to investigation of atypical disease events-Opinions of Australian veterinarians

Frontline health practitioners need to be adequately prepared to recognize and respond to atypical disease presentations, some of which may have zoonotic potential. Data from previous research have suggested that veterinarians may face challenges in investigation of disease events due to time and money constraints. As part of an Australia-wide survey project, veterinarians were asked to answer an open-ended question regarding potential constraints in investigation of atypical disease events where there may be concern about a zoonosis or emerging infectious disease. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis with the consideration of the respondent's area of practice and level of experience. Five main themes were identified which encapsulated constraints to disease investigation described by participants, namely: (a) financing of disease investigations, including client willingness/ability to pay in absence of alternative government schemes; (b) client-related factors, including willingness to consent to investigation and comply with instructions; (c) professional preparedness to act, related to practitioner knowledge and technical competency; (d) workplace environment, impacted by physical, logistical and managerial aspects of workplaces; and (e) access to external technical support, primarily from government veterinary services. Successful investigation and management of atypical diseases, including potential zoonoses, requires preparedness of all veterinarians. Continuing professional education for veterinarians in infection prevention and control and biosecurity, alongside adequate government funding and support will help facilitate optimal health and biosecurity outcomes. Both state and federal governments need to review existing animal health structures to ensure cohesive responses for future disease events.

Effect of attire on client perceptions of veterinarians

This study examined the effect that veterinarian attire and gender had on clients' perceptions of veterinarians in a large academic specialty hospital. Clients volunteered to answer a survey in the small animal waiting area over a 3-month period. The survey consisted of demographic information, information about the nature of their appointment with their pet, and questions regarding clients' levels of comfort with and the perceived trustworthiness of a Caucasian male and Caucasian female model in four different types of attire: surgical scrubs, surgical scrubs with white lab coat, business casual, and business casual with white lab coat. Relevant effects of interest were estimated using linear mixed models. Five hundred and five clients participated in the survey, yielding a total of 6217 completed survey questions. Clients perceived veterinarians wearing white lab coats as more competent and reported more comfort with those veterinarians (P < 0.0001). When comparing surgical scrubs with no white lab coat to business attire with no white lab coat, surgical scrubs resulted in higher perceived competence and comfort levels (P < 0.0001). Wearing a white lab coat over both surgical scrubs and business casual increased clients' perceived competency and comfort levels compared to not wearing a white lab coat.