KOREASCHOLAR

Hospitalized patients' perceptions of the quality of hospital food and their importance were surveyed through questionnaires by 820(men 435, women 385) hospitalized patients in Seoul. The results are as follows: Men rated the size of food portion as being smaller, compared with women. The mean rating for nutrition of food was 3.24, freshness 3.15, taste 2.88, temperature 2.82; Among the food characteristics, nutrition was considered important by largest percentage(75.5%) of respondents, the taste ranked second(74.4%), and freshness was 62.2%; Appetite, atmosphere of ward were positively correlated(p<0.001) with rating of the taste, nutrition, and freshness, but length of hospitalization was negatively correlated (p<0.001) with them; Multiple regression analysis showed that appetite made the greatest contribution and length of hospitalization made the second greatest contribution. The third was atmosphere of ward, and the forth mood condition.

• 류은순 | Lyu, Eun-Soon