BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Targeting consumers who consume lunches at their worksite cafeterias would be a valuable approach to reduce sodium intake in South Korea. To assess the relationships between socio-demographic factors, consumer satisfaction, attitudes, barriers and the frequency of sodium-reduced meal intake. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We implemented a cross-sectional research, analyzing data from 738 consumers aged 18 years or older (327 males and 411 females) at 17 worksite cafeterias in South Korea. We used the ordinary least squares regression analysis to determine the factors related to overall satisfaction with sodium-reduced meal. General linear models with LSD tests were employed to examine the variables that differed by the frequency of sodium-reduced meal intake. RESULTS: Most subjects always or usually consumed the sodium-reduced meal (49%), followed by sometimes (34%) and rarely or never (18%). Diverse menus, taste and belief in the helpfulness of the sodium-reduced meal significantly increased overall satisfaction with the sodium-reduced diet (P < 0.05). We found importance of needs in the following order: 1) 'menu diversity' (4.01 points), 2) 'active promotion' (3.97 points), 3) 'display of nutrition labels in a visible location' (3.96 points), 4) 'improvement of taste' (3.88 points), and 5) 'education of sodium-reduction self-care behaviors' (3.82 points). CONCLUSION: Dietitians could lead consumers to choose sodium-reduced meals by improving their taste and providing diverse menus for the sodium-reduced meals at worksite cafeterias.
Consumer Satisfaction ; Diet ; Humans ; Korea ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Linear Models ; Lunch ; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide ; Male ; Meals* ; Nutritionists ; Self Care ; Sodium ; Workplace*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the degree of satisfaction of the patients, hearing loss type and severity, and satisfactory and unsatisfactory factors between closed fit hearing aid (HA) and receiver in the canal (RIC) HA. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Seventeen patients with hearing loss participated in this study. All patients had used closed fit HAs prior to the study, with the ratio of those using in the canal (ITC) types and completely in the canal (CIC) types being 4:13. After a 2-week trial period of using RIC HAs, patients were evaluated for their satisfaction of using RIC HAs by filling out the questionnaire on the Korean version International Outcome Inventory for hearing aids (K-IOI-HA). RESULTS: The visual analogue scale (VAS) score of closed fit HA was higher in the RIC-HAdissatisfied group (< or =5, n=8) than in the RIC-HA-satisfied group (>5, n=9). The K-IOI-HA score of closed fit HA was higher than that of RIC HA in the RIC-HA-dissatisfied group and similar in the RIC-HA-satisfied group. Audiologically, air conduction and bone conduction thresholds at 500 Hz were lower in the RIC-HA-satisfied group than in the RIC-HA-dissatisfied group. In addition, the VAS score of RIC HA was negatively correlated with air and bone conduction thresholds and the K-IOI-HA score of RIC HA was positively correlated with speech discrimination score, whereas the VAS and K-IOI-HA scores of closed fit HA were not. CONCLUSION: Among the patients with closed fit HA, some patients indicated RIC HA to be suitable and showed intention to change. The HA should be prescribed firstly based on audiologic criteria, which could increase the subjective satisfaction and prevent poor compliance due to incongruity.
Bone Conduction ; Compliance ; Consumer Satisfaction ; Hearing Aids* ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Intention ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Speech Perception

OBJECTIVES: Utilizing social network analysis, this study aimed to analyze the main keywords in the literature regarding the health literacy of and the use of online health information by aged persons over 65. METHODS: Medical Subject Heading keywords were extracted from articles on the PubMed database of the National Library of Medicine. For health literacy, 110 articles out of 361 were initially extracted. Seventy-one keywords out of 1,021 were finally selected after removing repeated keywords and applying pruning. Regarding the use of online health information, 19 articles out of 26 were selected. One hundred forty-four keywords were initially extracted. After removing the repeated keywords, 74 keywords were finally selected. RESULTS: Health literacy was found to be strongly connected with 'Health knowledge, attitudes, practices' and 'Patient education as topic.' 'Computer literacy' had strong connections with 'Internet' and 'Attitude towards computers.' 'Computer literacy' was connected to 'Health literacy,' and was studied according to the parameters 'Attitude towards health' and 'Patient education as topic.' The use of online health information was strongly connected with 'Health knowledge, attitudes, practices,' 'Consumer health information,' 'Patient education as topic,' etc. In the network, 'Computer literacy' was connected with 'Health education,' 'Patient satisfaction,' 'Self-efficacy,' 'Attitude to computer,' etc. CONCLUSIONS: Research on older citizens' health literacy and their use of online health information was conducted together with study of computer literacy, patient education, attitude towards health, health education, patient satisfaction, etc. In particular, self-efficacy was noted as an important keyword. Further research should be conducted to identify the effective outcomes of self-efficacy in the area of interest.
Computer Literacy ; Consumer Health Information ; Education ; Health Education ; Health Literacy* ; Humans ; Internet ; Medical Subject Headings ; National Library of Medicine (U.S.) ; Patient Education as Topic ; Patient Satisfaction

This study is basic research focused on product development and market activation based on analysis of current usage and demand for development of processed blue crabs. A total of 556 subjects aged 20s to 60s living in the Seoul area were surveyed. According to the survey, 65.1% of subjects consumed blue crabs at home, and 82% of them purchased blue crabs whole and undressed. Respondents gave higher marks to taste, nutrition, and texture compared to ingredient preparation, eating method, and price. Majority of blue crab consumers had no experiences of consuming processed blue crabs. Exactly 57.0% of consumers purchased them at big shopping centers, and the reason for purchasing was their good taste. When female consumers purchased processed blue crabs, they checked every part carefully compared to male consumers. Women gave high scores to blue crab powder, blue crab extract, blue crab croquette, and blue crab cake compared to men, demonstrating the necessity of developing processed blue crabs. Furthermore, the experienced processed blue crab group recognized the necessity of developing processed blue crabs compared to the inexperienced group. People showed significant differences in purchasing processed blue crabs according to gender as well as previous experience of blue crab consumption.
Brachyura* ; Consumer Satisfaction ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Seoul

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate client satisfaction with mental health services across sociodemographical and service utilization characteristics and to identify the predictors for quality of life for schizophrenic patients who registered in community mental health center. METHODS: One hundred five schizophrenic patients who had received intensive or continuing care completed questionnaires, which included Consumer Satisfaction Scale and the Korean version of World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF). Subject's sociodemographic and service utilization characteristics were compared using t-test or one-way analysis of variance. To examine the influence of these variables on quality of life, stepwise multiple regression was conducted. RESULTS: Consumer satisfaction scores differed significantly depending on the length of contact with a current mental health staff. In a stepwise multiple regression model, service relevance and occupation together explained 20.5% of variance in quality of life. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that continuity in contact with a current mental health staff was important in consumer satisfaction. Service relevance and occupation had an impact on quality of life.
Consumer Satisfaction ; Humans ; Mental Health Services* ; Mental Health* ; Occupations ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Schizophrenia* ; World Health Organization

PURPOSE: The consumers' preferences are not considered in developing or implementing new medical technologies. Furthermore, little efforts are made to investigate their demands. Therefore, their preferred surgical method and the factors affecting that preference were investigated in pancreatic surgery. METHODS: Six-hundred subjects including 100 medical personnel (MP) and 500 lay persons (LP) were surveyed. Questionnaire included basic information on different methods of distal pancreatectomy; open surgery (OS), laparoscopic surgery (LS), and robotic surgery (RS). Assuming they required the operation, participants were told to indicate their preferred method along with a reason and an acceptable cost for both benign and malignant conditions. RESULTS: For benign disease, the most preferred method was LS. Limiting the choice to LS and RS, LS was preferred for cost and well-established safety and efficacy. OS was favored in malignant disease for the concern for radicality. Limiting the choice to LS and RS, LS was favored for its better-established safety and efficacy. The majority thought that LS and RS were both overpriced. Comparing MP and LP responses, both groups preferred LS in benign and OS in malignant conditions. However, LP more than MP tended to prefer RS under both benign and malignant conditions. LP thought that LS was expensive whereas MP thought the cost reasonable. Both groups felt that RS was too expensive. CONCLUSION: Though efforts for development of novel techniques and broadening indication should be encouraged, still more investments and research should focus on LS and OS to provide optimal management and satisfaction to the patients.
Consumer Satisfaction ; Humans ; Investments ; Laparoscopy ; Methods ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: MarkeTrak survey is a subjective evaluation method for hearing aid users. This investigation evaluated the level of subjective satisfaction in hearing aid users by adopting the MarkeTrak survey method. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Ninety-seven subjects participated in this study and replied to the Korean version of 8th MarkeTrak survey. The satisfaction score regarding hearing aids used a 7-point scale to analyze the patient-related as well as hearing aids-related factors. RESULTS: Overall satisfaction rate was 60.8%. Among the patient-related factors, women showed significantly higher satisfaction rate (p<0.05) than men but the level of education affected the satisfaction rate (p<0.05). Hearing aids users showed significantly higher satisfaction rate in small group communication than in other circumstances (p<0.05). The factors related to the hearing aids did not have significant influence on the satisfaction rating. CONCLUSION: MarkeTrak survey is a useful questionnaire for evaluating satisfaction about not only hearing factors but also sociodemographic factors and hearing-aids related factors.
Consumer Satisfaction ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education ; Female ; Hearing ; Hearing Aids* ; Humans ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires*

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the influence of nursing service quality and medical service satisfaction on intent to revisit the hospital, and to identify mediating effects of medical service satisfaction between nursing service quality and intent to revisit the hospital. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional survey. Participants were 390 hospitalized patients at one general hospital in Gyeonggi Province. Data were collected from July 21 to September 10, 2010 and analyzed using SPSS/PC version 18.0. RESULTS: The score for nursing service quality continuously improved but the scores for medical service satisfaction and intent to revisit the hospital did not changed significantly after estimated. Factors influencing intent to revisit the hospital were nursing service quality, medical service satisfaction, 'same religion', and 'Christian', and the explanation power of these four factors was 79.7%. Medical service satisfaction had a partial mediating effect between nursing service quality and intent to revisit the hospital. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that nursing service quality is a very important factor to improve both medical service satisfaction and intent to revisit the hospital. Nursing managers should develop strategies to improve nursing service quality.
Consumer Satisfaction ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Negotiating ; Nursing Services

This study analyzes determinants of patients' choice of healthcare providers in outpatient services and identifies their effects. Data were collected from two waves of the Korean Health Panel. The unit of analysis was an outpatient visit (n=189,739). Various types of medical institutions were grouped into general hospitals (including tertiary hospitals), hospitals, and clinics. A multinomial logit model was used to examine the determinants of medical institution selection. Clinics were the most frequent (82.2%) medical institution selected, followed by general hospitals (10.9%) and hospitals (6.9%). Males and beneficiaries of Medical Aid were more likely to choose the upper-level institutions. The upper-level institution selection was also positively associated with the level of education, household income, and severe diseases, while negatively associated with the level of health status. The medical institution selection was significantly different by region. Not only enabling factors for healthcare utilization, such as family and community resources, but also the users' characteristics were strong determinants of the type of medical institution selected. We, therefore, recommend that patients' characteristics and needs, in addition to the sharing of roles and functions among medical institutions, should be considered in making healthcare policies for efficient medical utilization and an effective medical delivery system.
Consumer Satisfaction ; Delivery of Health Care ; Family Characteristics ; Health Personnel ; Health Status ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Outpatients

This study was conducted to investigate the consumption pattern and perception of traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products in male and female adults aged 19 and over in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas in order to promote the development of the products' industry. The survey was conducted between October 1 to October 15, 2011 among 294 male and female adults aged 19 years and over in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. The gender distribution of the subjects was 33.3% males and 66.7% females. For a perception on traditional dietary life, the degree for enjoying meals with cooked rice as the staple food revealed that 32.3% of the subjects responded 'strongly agree'. The intake frequency of traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products in the subjects of the study showed that in the case of doenjang, 49.7% of the participants consumed it twice a week and 21.4% consumed it once a week. For gochujang, 59.9% consumed it twice a week and 19.0% consumed it once a week. The perception on the preparation method for traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products showed a low level for traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products. The reason for purchasing traditional foods showed that 77.6% of the subjects made purchases for convenience and 8.2% purchased it for its small package. For the subjects, the priority for purchasing traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products was as follows: in the first rank, ingredients & origin made up 33.7% and price comprised of 26.2% of the priority. Regarding satisfaction for soy sauce and soybean paste products in the market, the degree of satisfaction was high for gochujang. With regard to gender difference, female subjects showed a significantly lower satisfaction for cheonggukjang and kuk-ganjang, and a significantly higher satisfaction for chin-ganjang, compared to the male subjects. The results of the study depicted that consumer's requirement was high for traditional soy sauce and soybean paste products in the market, particularly for the safety of the products in the market. Consumer satisfaction was relatively positive yet, some efforts are needed in order to improve the quality of cheonggukjang and kuk-ganjang.
Adult ; Aged ; Consumer Satisfaction ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meals ; Soy Foods ; Soybeans