Impact of hospital inpatient food preference on tray waste at selected government hospital in Klang Valley area

Abstract

This study aims to identify the factor that affect patient's assessment on meal served as welJ as factor that affect patient's food preference, most patient's individual food preference towards hospital meal, relationship between factor that affect patient's food preference with patient's individual food preference and also the type of most food item wasted. This study was conducted at three gover ment health care institutions in Klang Valley, Selangor. Convenience sampling technique was used to identify the 102 respondents form patients of several wards for this study from July to October 2011. Questionnaire was self-administered to all respondents. The findings of this study showed that environment in hospital setting was the factor that affect patient's food preference and intrinsic factor was most patient's individual food preference towards hospital meal. Besides, this study also found that there was relationship between factors that affect patient's food preference with patient's individual food preference. In addition, fish from protein food type was detennined as the most food item wasted.