Exploring Mothers' Perspectives and Experiences on Stunting: Implications for Interventions at Health Center
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Stunting is one of prevalent form of malnutrition affecting children worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 148.1 million children under the age of five are classified as stunted, meaning their height is below the expected standard for their age. It is suspected that stunting associated with developmental delays in children. Stunting can result from multiple factors, one of which is the lack of maternal knowledge and awareness regarding this condition.
Purpose: This study aims to describe the experiences and understanding of mothers with children diagnosed with stunting.
Methods: This research employs a qualitative descriptive design. The study sample consists of eight mothers with stunted children aged 1–5 years, selected using purposive sampling and snowball sampling. Data analysis was conducted using content analysis.
Results: The findings indicate that most respondents perceive stunting merely as a condition characterized by short stature and low body weight, often attributing it to genetic factors. Their knowledge and understanding of children's dietary patterns and maternal nutrition during pregnancy remain incomplete. Additionally, environmental hygiene practices are limited to basic activities such as sweeping, mopping, and dusting, without considering other hygiene aspects that may impact child health.
Conclusion: Although respondents regularly attend posyandu (integrated health service posts) and acknowledge its benefits, and receive information about stunting from multiple sources such as posyandu, midwives, and community health volunteers (kader kesehatan), the absence of a structured and routine stunting awareness program in the village poses a significant challenge in strengthening maternal understanding and prevention efforts. The information received is lacks depth, resulting in suboptimal application of knowledge in daily practices.
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Articles and files in this journal are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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Ginting, & Hadi. (2019). Social-Cultural Factors that Affected Stunting Case in Children: Literature Review. The Indonesian Journal of Health Promotion, 2(3).
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Rahmawati, Fajar, & Idris. (2020). Social, economic factors, and utilization of posyandu towards stunting among toddlers of poor families of PKH recipients in Palembang. Jurnal Gizi Klinik Indonesia., 17(1).
Reverri, E. J., Arensberg, M. B., Murray, R. D., Kerr, K. W., & Wulf, K. L. (2022). Young Child Nutrition: Knowledge and Surveillance Gaps across the Spectrum of Feeding. Nutrients, 14(15), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14153093
Said-Mohamed, Micklesfield, Pettifor, & Norris. (2015). Has the prevalence of stunting in South African children changed in 40 years? A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1844-9
Shinde, S., Madzorera, I., & Fawzi, W. W. (2021). Association of iron supplementation and dietary diversity with nutritional status and learning outcomes among adolescents: Results from a longitudinal study in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India. Journal of Global Health, 11, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.11.04037
Stewart, Iannotti, Dewey, Michaelsen, & Onyango. (2013). Contextualising complementary feeding in a broader framework for stunting prevention: Complementary feeding in stunting prevention. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 9(1), 27–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12088
UNICEF/WHO/WORLD BANK. (2021). Levels and trends in child malnutrition UNICEF / WHO / World Bank Group Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Key findings of the 2021 edition. World Health Organization, 1–32.
Weatherspoon, Miller, Ngabitsinze, Weatherspoon, & Oehmke. (2019). Stunting, food security, markets and food policy in Rwanda. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 82.
Wemakor, A., Garti, H., Azongo, T., Garti, H., & Atosona, A. (2018). Young maternal age is a risk factor for child undernutrition in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. BMC Research Notes, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-018-3980-7
WHO. (2023). Stunting Prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) (model-based estimates). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/gho-jme-stunting-prevalence
Abdulahi M, Fretheim A, Argaw A, M. J. (2021). Initiation and Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices and Infant Ethiopian Setting. Nutrients, 1–15.
Aguayo, & Menon. (2016). Stop stunting: Improving child feeding, women’s nutrition and household sanitation in South Asia: Stop stunting in South Asia. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 12(1), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12283.
Akombi, Agho, Hall, Merom, Astell-Burt, & Renzaho. (2017). Stunting andr severe stunting among children under-5 years in Nigeria: A multilevel analysis. BMC Pediatrics, 17(1), 15.
Bliznashka, L., Udo, I. E., Sudfeld, C. R., Fawzi, W. W., & Yousafzai, A. K. (2021). Associations between women’s empowerment and child development, growth, and nurturing care practices in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-sectional analysis of demographic and health survey data. PLoS Medicine, 18(9), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003781
Cotelo, M. del C. S., Movilla-Fernández, M. J., Pita-García, P., & Novío, S. (2018). Infant feeding attitudes and practices of spanish low-risk expectantwomen using the IIFAS (Iowa infant feeding attitude scale). Nutrients, 10(4), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10040520
Eka Arum Cahyaning Putri Hakim, F. A., Purwanto, E., Izzatunnisa, N., I’tishom, R., Hasanah, U., & Rejeki, P. S. (2024). Prevention of stunting with nutrition and reproductive health education of adolescents in west Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 22(2), 994–999. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2024.22.2.1429
Ginting, & Hadi. (2019). Social-Cultural Factors that Affected Stunting Case in Children: Literature Review. The Indonesian Journal of Health Promotion, 2(3).
Gosdin, Martorell, Bartolini, Mehta, Srikantiah, & Young. (2018). The co?occurrence of anaemia and stunting in young children. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12597
Goudet, S. M., Bogin, B. A., Madise, N. J., & Griffiths, P. L. (2019). Nutritional interventions for preventing stunting in children (Birth to 59 months) living in urban slums in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2019(6). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011695.pub2
Humphrey, J. H., Mbuya, M. N. N., Ntozini, R., Moulton, L. H., Stoltzfus, R. J., Tavengwa, N. V., Mutasa, K., Majo, F., Mutasa, B., Mangwadu, G., Chasokela, C. M., Chigumira, A., Chasekwa, B., Smith, L. E., Tielsch, J. M., Jones, A. D., Manges, A. R., Maluccio, J. A., Prendergast, A. J., … Makoni, T. (2019). Independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene, and improved complementary feeding, on child stunting and anaemia in rural Zimbabwe: a cluster-randomised trial. The Lancet Global Health, 7(1), e132–e147. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30374-7
Juarez, Dionicio, Sacuj, Lopez, Miller, & Rohloff. (2021). Community-Based Interventions to Reduce Child Stunting in Rural Guatemala: A Quality Improvement Model. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph
Kang, Y., Kim, S., Sinamo, S., & Christian, P. (2017). Effectiveness of a community-based nutrition programme to improve child growth in rural Ethiopia: a cluster randomized trial. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 13(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12349
Krishna, Mejía?Guevara, McGovern, & Subramanian. (2018). Trends in inequalities in child stunting in South Asia. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12517
Kwami, Godfrey, Gavilan, Lakhanpaul, & Parikh. (2019). Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: Linkages with Stunting in Rural Ethiopia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(20), 3793. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16203793
Martorell, R., & Zongrone, A. (2012). Intergenerational influences on child growth and undernutrition. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 26(SUPPL. 1), 302–314. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3016.2012.01298.x
Mekonnen, A. G., Odo, D. B., Nigatu, D., Sav, A., & Abagero, K. K. (2021). Women’s empowerment and child growth faltering in Ethiopia: evidence from the Demographic and Health Survey. BMC Women’s Health, 21(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01183-x
Ministry of Health In Indonesia. (2021). Indonesian Health Profile in 2020 (B. Hardhana, F. Sibuea, & W. Widiantini (eds.)). Kemenkes RI.
Nurliyana, A. R., Shariff, Z. M., Taib, M. N. M., Gan, W. Y., & Tan, K.-A. (2016). Early nutrition, growth and cognitive development of infants from birth to 2 years in Malaysia: a study protocol. BMC Pediatrics. 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-016-0700-0
Oktorina. (2018). Key Factors Related to Stunting in Indonesia. International Conference on Sustainable Health Promotion.
Pratiwi, D. M., Rejeki, S., & Juniarto, A. Z. (2021). Interventions to Reduce Anxiety in Postpartum Mother. Media Keperawatan Indonesia, 4(1), 62. https://doi.org/10.26714/mki.4.1.2021.62-71
Rahmawati, Fajar, & Idris. (2020). Social, economic factors, and utilization of posyandu towards stunting among toddlers of poor families of PKH recipients in Palembang. Jurnal Gizi Klinik Indonesia., 17(1).
Reverri, E. J., Arensberg, M. B., Murray, R. D., Kerr, K. W., & Wulf, K. L. (2022). Young Child Nutrition: Knowledge and Surveillance Gaps across the Spectrum of Feeding. Nutrients, 14(15), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14153093
Said-Mohamed, Micklesfield, Pettifor, & Norris. (2015). Has the prevalence of stunting in South African children changed in 40 years? A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1844-9
Shinde, S., Madzorera, I., & Fawzi, W. W. (2021). Association of iron supplementation and dietary diversity with nutritional status and learning outcomes among adolescents: Results from a longitudinal study in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, India. Journal of Global Health, 11, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.11.04037
Stewart, Iannotti, Dewey, Michaelsen, & Onyango. (2013). Contextualising complementary feeding in a broader framework for stunting prevention: Complementary feeding in stunting prevention. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 9(1), 27–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12088
UNICEF/WHO/WORLD BANK. (2021). Levels and trends in child malnutrition UNICEF / WHO / World Bank Group Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Key findings of the 2021 edition. World Health Organization, 1–32.
Weatherspoon, Miller, Ngabitsinze, Weatherspoon, & Oehmke. (2019). Stunting, food security, markets and food policy in Rwanda. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 82.
Wemakor, A., Garti, H., Azongo, T., Garti, H., & Atosona, A. (2018). Young maternal age is a risk factor for child undernutrition in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. BMC Research Notes, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-018-3980-7
WHO. (2023). Stunting Prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) (model-based estimates). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/gho-jme-stunting-prevalence