Availability and use of spices and herbs in healthcare facilities
Mashhood, Ammarah
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129583
Description
Title
Availability and use of spices and herbs in healthcare facilities
Author(s)
Mashhood, Ammarah
Issue Date
2025-04-28
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Raj, Minakshi
Department of Study
Health and Kinesiology
Discipline
Community Health
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Level
Thesis
Keyword(s)
Spices
Herbs
Healthcare facilities
Cultural inclusion
Culture
Spices use
Spices available
Herbs used
Herbs available
Abstract
Introduction: The number of older adults requiring long-term support services in the US is dramatically increasing, yet healthcare facilities continue to insufficiently support multicultural older adults.
Background: Offering foods from various culinary traditions may help promote cultural inclusivity in healthcare facilities (namely hospitals and long-term care settings), which may increase patient satisfaction and influence older adults’ decision to utilize these services. This study aimed to assess the a) availability and b) use of various herbs and spices in healthcare facilities.
Methods: We conducted a nationwide online survey asking healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, RDNs), chefs, and food service personnel what spices and herbs were available in the facilities where they worked, and how often these spices and herbs were used for food preparation. We also asked what respondents perceived to be culinary preferences of their residents/patients/clients. We then summarized frequencies and proportions for all measures.
Results: About half of the respondents (52.56%) reported that the food was prepared from scratch in their facilities. While most respondents reported a large number (40 or more) spices and herbs to be available in their facilities, black pepper (88.79%), garlic (86.79%) and onion (84.11%) were reported to be the most frequently used. Alum (43.75%), galangal (44.64%) and black mustard seeds (40.18%) were identified as the most commonly unavailable spices. Even when present, alum (80.65%), galangal (87.50%) and saffron (72.00%) were reported to be rarely used in most facilities.
Discussion: Our study indicates that despite many spices and herbs being available, only a select few (black pepper, onion and garlic) are frequently used for food preparation in healthcare facilities. This suggests that most healthcare facilities do not offer culturally diverse food options for their residents/patients/clients.
Conclusion: There is a need for increased cultural inclusivity in healthcare facilities, especially for older adults. Incorporating a variety of spices and herbs when preparing food may be a simple, low-cost solution to making diets culturally inclusive, improving patient-centeredness and quality of care in healthcare facilities, which would then result in increased utilization of required health services and improved health outcomes in older minority populations.
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