Herman Herman, Firmansyah Saleh, Diki Insani La Ode

The relationship between maternal knowledge and stunting incidence in children under five in Kendari City

Introduction

The relationship between maternal knowledge and stunting incidence in children under five in kendari city. Explore the link between maternal knowledge and stunting in children under five in Kendari City. Low maternal knowledge is a significant risk factor, highlighting the need for nutrition education.

Abstract

Background: Stunting, a form of chronic malnutrition, remains a significant public health issue in Indonesia. Maternal knowledge about nutrition and childcare is a critical factor in preventing stunting. However, the specific relationship between maternal knowledge and stunting incidence in Kendari City is underexplored. Purpose: This study aims to analyze the relationship between maternal knowledge and stunting incidence in children aged 6-59 months in Kendari City. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 mothers of children under five. Data were collected using structured interviews to assess maternal knowledge and anthropometric measurements to determine stunting status. Statistical analysis included chi-square tests and logistic regression to examine associations and identify significant predictors of stunting. Results: The incidence of stunting among respondents' children was 40%. Low maternal knowledge was significantly associated with stunting (p < 0.05). Logistic regression identified low maternal knowledge (AOR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.53–5.45) and low household income (AOR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.22–4.51) as dominant risk factors. Conclusion: Low maternal knowledge is a significant contributor to stunting in Kendari City. Targeted nutrition education and socio-economic interventions are essential to address this issue.

Review

This study addresses a highly pertinent public health issue, chronic malnutrition (stunting), in the specific context of Kendari City, Indonesia. The chosen focus on the relationship between maternal knowledge and stunting incidence in children under five is critical, given the established role of caregiver practices in child nutritional outcomes. The authors rightly identify a gap in localized research for Kendari City, making this investigation valuable for understanding regional specificities of a pervasive problem. The clear objective to analyze this relationship provides a focused direction for the research, contributing important localized data to the broader discourse on stunting prevention. Methodologically, the study employs a sound cross-sectional design involving a substantial sample of 200 mothers, which is appropriate for identifying associations within the target population. The data collection methods, combining structured interviews for assessing maternal knowledge and anthropometric measurements for determining stunting status, are standard and reliable for this type of epidemiological inquiry. The statistical analyses, utilizing chi-square tests to examine associations and logistic regression to identify significant predictors, are robust. The results are striking: a high stunting incidence of 40% was observed. Crucially, the analysis revealed that low maternal knowledge was significantly associated with stunting (p < 0.05), and further identified low maternal knowledge (AOR = 2.89) and low household income (AOR = 2.35) as dominant and independent risk factors. While providing valuable insights, the cross-sectional nature of the study, as inherently designed, limits the ability to infer direct causality. Nevertheless, the findings strongly support the importance of maternal education and socio-economic support in stunting prevention. The identified dominant risk factors provide a clear mandate for policy and program development in Kendari City, emphasizing the need for targeted nutrition education initiatives tailored to mothers, alongside broader socio-economic interventions to improve household income and address food security. Future research could build upon these findings through longitudinal studies to establish causal pathways more definitively, or by evaluating the effectiveness of specific educational and economic interventions in reducing stunting prevalence in the region. This study offers a solid and actionable foundation for localized public health action.

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