Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42649532›Full record

ArticleJournal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association2026

The Role and Meaning of Hospital Food for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Patients.

Vanessa M Carter, Vicki E Barrington, Bryan Ross, Danielle P Hitch

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Vanessa M CarterNutrition and Dietetics, Western Health, St Albans, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6615-6628
Vicki E BarringtonNutrition and Dietetics, Western Health, St Albans, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5746-7838
Bryan RossHealth Support Services, Western Health, St Albans, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8138-6752
Danielle P HitchOccupational Science and Therapy, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2798-2246

Funding

Western Health Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimThis study explored the perceptions of former Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) hospital patients and carers regarding the role and meaning of hospital food during hospitalisation and recovery.

methodsUsing a descriptive qualitative design guided by a social constructionist approach, four focus groups (n = 28) were conducted with participants from Asian, Mediterranean, Arabic, and Indian Subcontinent communities at a major Australian metropolitan health service. Purposively recruited participants included former inpatients or caregivers who discussed their experiences in face-to-face focus groups.

resultsThematic analysis revealed three key themes: (1) Familiar food as a source of comfort in an unfamiliar environment, (2) Cultural traditions as wisdom for health and healing, and (3) Food as a contributor to physical recovery. Findings highlight the multifaceted role of culturally appropriate hospital food beyond basic nutrition, including its ability in supporting emotional well-being, cultural identity, and physical healing when feeling already vulnerable amid the unfamiliar daily activities of hospital wards.

conclusionsHospital food plays an important role in comfort, cultural identity, and recovery for CALD patients. Culturally responsive food services may enhance patient experiences, support recovery, and contribute to more equitable healthcare delivery.

Indexed as

Cultural DiversityFood Service, HospitalInpatientsAdultAgedAustraliaFemaleFocus GroupsHospitalizationHumansLanguageMaleMiddle AgedQualitative Researchcultural identityculturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)food well‐beinghospital foodpatient‐centred care

Identifiers

PMID42649532
PMCPMC13519052

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.