Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
J Hum Nutr Diet. 2022 Feb;35(1):81-93. doi: 10.1111/jhn.12929. Epub 2021 Jun 25.
Perceptions of hospital meal quality can influence patient food intake. Understanding what patients prioritise and what they think of current meals can support menu development. The present study assessed patients' food and food-related priorities for hospital meals and their sensory experience using the Hospital Food Experience Questionnaire (HFEQ). Factors independently associated with the HFEQ were determined.
Cross-sectional study (n = 1087 patients; 16 Ontario hospitals). Patients completed the HFEQ at a single meal. Descriptive statistics determined the importance of food traits and ratings of a served meal using 22 HFEQ questions (five-point Likert scales, total score 110). Bivariate and multivariable linear regression tested the association between patient and hospital characteristics and HFEQ score.
Most food traits were rated as 'important' (4) or 'very important' (5) by two-thirds or more of patients. Patients typically rated served meal items as 'good' (4). Mean HFEQ score was 90.60 (SD 10.83) and was associated with patient and hospital traits in multivariable analyses (F = 2.34, p < 0.001). Older and woman-identifying patients were more likely to have a higher score. Foodservice models were associated with HFEQ. Cold-plated rethermed food resulted in the lowest HFEQ. Local food use > 10% was associated with lower HFEQ score, whereas larger hospitals had a higher score.
Patients prioritised taste, freshness and food that met their dietary needs. Meal sensory ratings were average. A gap exists between what patients want in hospital meals and what they receive. Attention to patient demographics and food delivery that retains sensory properties and supports choice may increase HFEQ score.
患者对医院膳食质量的看法会影响其食物摄入量。了解患者的优先事项以及他们对现有膳食的看法，可以为菜单开发提供支持。本研究使用医院膳食体验问卷（HFEQ）评估了患者对医院膳食的食物和食物相关优先事项以及他们的感官体验。确定了与 HFEQ 独立相关的因素。
横断面研究（n=1087 名患者；16 家安大略省医院）。患者在单一膳食中完成 HFEQ。使用 22 个 HFEQ 问题（五分制李克特量表，总分为 110 分）的描述性统计数据确定食物特征的重要性和所供应膳食的评分。双变量和多变量线性回归测试了患者和医院特征与 HFEQ 评分之间的关联。
大多数食物特征被超过三分之二的患者评为“重要”（4）或“非常重要”（5）。患者通常对供应的膳食项目评为“好”（4）。HFEQ 平均得分为 90.60（SD 10.83），并在多变量分析中与患者和医院特征相关（F=2.34，p<0.001）。年龄较大和女性患者更有可能获得更高的分数。餐饮服务模式与 HFEQ 相关。冷盘重新加热的食物导致 HFEQ 得分最低。当地食品使用率>10%与较低的 HFEQ 评分相关，而较大的医院得分较高。
患者优先考虑味道、新鲜度和满足其饮食需求的食物。膳食感官评分处于平均水平。患者在医院膳食中的需求与他们所得到的之间存在差距。关注患者人口统计学特征和保留感官特性并支持选择的食物交付方式可能会提高 HFEQ 评分。
