Analysis of Intakes and Satisfaction of Patient Foodservice in Mid-Sized Hospital Settings

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate dietary intake and to evaluate patient satisfaction toward the quality of hospital foodservice. Questionnaires were distributed to 203 hospitalized patients in 3 hospitals having 300 beds. The intake rates for served amounts of rice, side dishes, and soup were 72.5%, 68.2%, and 62.6%, respectively. The main reasons for left-overs were 'no appetite' (25.8%) and 'not salty enough' (19.9%). The rate of patients eating outside food was about 33.5%. The average score for quality satisfaction of meal characteristics was 3.34 +/- 0.61, and the average score for quality satisfaction of sanitation and service characteristics was 3.58 +/- 0.61. 'Seasoning' showed the lowest score and 'temperature' showed the highest score for quality satisfaction of meal characteristics. In the quality satisfaction of sanitation and services, 'explanation of meals' showed the lowest score and 'exactness of meal times' showed the highest score. The patients hospitalized for 10 days showed significantly lower average scores than those hospitalized over 60 days for quality satisfaction of meal characteristics. The patients with 'little appetite' and 'regular appetite' showed significantly lower average scores than those with 'much appetite' for the quality satisfaction of meal, sanitation, and service characteristics. The patients who 'rarely had leftovers' showed significantly higher average scores than those who 'always had leftovers' and 'often had leftovers' for quality satisfaction of meal characteristics. Meal characteristic scores were significantly correlated with age (r = 0.216), length of admission (r = 0.310), appetite (r = 0.251), leftovers (r = 0.233), and intake of soup (r = 0.205). Also, sanitation and service characteristics scores were significantly correlated with age (r = 0.327), education (r = -0.202), length of admission (r = 0.168), and appetite (r = 0.155). Thus, it would seem to be desirable that hospital foodservices improve the taste and seasoning of meals and provide appropriate nutrition education and counseling in mid-sized hospitals.