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