Articles

Utilization of Maternal and Child Health Books among Pregnant Women: Which Factors Have the Greatest Influence?

/0 Comments/in /by

The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) book is an important medium for improving pregnant women’s knowledge and awareness of maternal and fetal health. However, several health centers still report low MCH book ownership among pregnant women, including Kuala Lempuing Health Center (52.55%) and Anggut Atas Health Center (77.92%). This study aimed to identify factors influencing the utilization of MCH books among pregnant women and to determine the most dominant factor. This descriptive analytic study used a cross-sectional design. It was conducted from June 8 to June 18, 2025, in the working areas of Kuala Lempuing and Anggut Atas Health Centers, Bengkulu City. The study involved all 70 eligible pregnant women in their second and third trimesters through total sampling. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires, and secondary data were obtained from relevant records. The results showed significant associations between MCH book utilization and knowledge (p < 0.001), attitude (p < 0.001), and family support (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that family support was the most dominant factor (p = 0.001; OR = 10.800). These findings highlight the importance of family involvement and the role of health care providers in delivering health education and social support to optimize MCH book utilization.

The Relationship Between Knowledge of Breast Cancer and Breast Self-Examination Behavior Among Women of Reproductive Age in Kupang City, Indonesia

/in /by

Background: Breast cancer remains the most common cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide, including women of reproductive age. Early detection through Breast Self-Examination (BSE), locally known as SADARI, is a simple and cost-effective method, particularly relevant in low-resource settings. Knowledge about breast cancer is considered a key cognitive factor influencing women’s engagement in early detection behaviors.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the level of knowledge about breast cancer and Breast Self-Examination behavior among women of reproductive age in Kupang City, Indonesia.

Methods: This study employed an observational analytic design with a cross-sectional approach. The research was conducted in six districts of Kupang City from August to October 2025. The study population consisted of women aged 15–49 years. A total of 100 respondents were selected using proportional random sampling. Data were collected using a validated structured questionnaire measuring breast cancer knowledge and BSE behavior. Data analysis included univariate analysis and bivariate analysis using the Chi-square test, with a significance level set at α = 0.05.

Results: Most respondents demonstrated a moderate level of breast cancer knowledge (68.0%), followed by good (27.0%) and poor knowledge (5.0%). The majority of participants reported supportive BSE behavior (70.0%). Statistical analysis revealed a significant association between breast cancer knowledge and BSE behavior (Chi-square test, p = 0.031).

Conclusion: There is a statistically significant relationship between breast cancer knowledge and Breast Self-Examination behavior among women of reproductive age in Kupang City. Higher levels of knowledge are associated with a greater likelihood of engaging in early detection practices through BSE. Strengthening educational interventions may improve early detection behaviors and contribute to breast cancer prevention efforts.

Knowledge and Attitudes toward Reproductive Health among Female Teacher Training Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Nusa Cendana University

/in /by

Background: Reproductive health among adolescents and young adults remains a public health priority in Indonesia, including East Nusa Tenggara. Limited literacy and unfavorable attitudes increase risks of unintended pregnancy, risky sexual behaviors, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This topic is particularly salient for female students in the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education as future educators, while sociocultural norms and taboos can impede discourse.

Objective: To assess knowledge, attitudes, and their association regarding reproductive health among female students in the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education at Nusa Cendana University. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 135 participants selected via cluster and stratified random sampling across nine programs. Data were collected using structured questionnaires on knowledge and attitudes. Univariate summaries and Chi-square tests (SPSS v30) were applied with a 0.05 significance level. Some cells in the contingency table had expected counts <5, violating the Chi-square assumption. Therefore, variable categories were collapsed, or an alternative test, such as Fisher’s exact test, was used for inferential analysis, and the effect size (Cramér’s V) = 0,564.

Results: Good knowledge was observed in 66.7% of respondents, moderate in 14.1%, and low in 19.3%. Positive attitudes were reported by 85.2% and negative by 14.8%. Knowledge level was significantly associated with attitudes (chi-square = 43.001; p < 0.001, Cramér’s V = 0.564, large). Sensitivity analysis by collapsing knowledge categories (moderate + low) confirmed robustness (Fisher’s exact p < 0.001; phi ≈ 0.55).

Conclusions: Higher knowledge is associated with more favorable attitudes toward reproductive health. Integrating comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based reproductive health education within teacher-training curricula is recommended, with emphasis on digital literacy and curated information sources.

The Effect of Health Education on Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Depression Among Eleventh-Grade Students at SMK Umi Kulsum Banjaran Bandung

/in /by

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of health education on students’ knowledge and attitudes toward depression among adolescents.

Theoretical Framework: The research is grounded in health behavior theories such as the Health Belief Model and mental health literacy frameworks, emphasizing the role of education in shaping awareness and behavioral responses to mental health issues.

Method: A pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The sample consisted of 85 eleventh-grade students at SMK Umi Kulsum Banjaran Bandung, selected through total sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires before and after a health education session on depression. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test.

Results and Discussion: The study revealed a statistically significant increase in students’ knowledge (p = 0.000) and attitudes (p = 0.001) regarding depression after the intervention. These results indicate that structured health education effectively enhances awareness and fosters a more positive attitude toward mental health issues in adolescents. Limitations include the absence of a control group and short-term evaluation.

Research Implications: The findings suggest that integrating mental health topics into school-based health education programs can improve mental health literacy among students, potentially leading to earlier recognition and intervention in cases of adolescent depression.

Originality/Value: This research contributes to the growing field of adolescent mental health promotion by demonstrating the practical impact of targeted educational interventions in vocational school settings.

The Relationship of Knowledge About Covid-19 with the Behavior of Preventing the Danger of Covid-19 on Traders at The Oesapa Market, Kupang City

/in /by

Background: The World Health Organization or WHO announced that, on December 31, 2019 there was a cluster case of pneumonia with an unknown etiology or cause in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. Until February 11, 2020, WHO officially announced the name of this new virus, namely Covid-19 or coronavirus disease 2019. To reduce the spread of Covid-19, it is very necessary to have good knowledge about Covid-19. Knowledge about Covid-19 is very important during a pandemic like this, so when our knowledge is good, preventive behavior against the dangers of Covid-19 is also good and thus will reduce the number of additional Covid-19 patients. Good Covid-19 prevention behavior is an action that a person takes to prevent the danger of contracting Covid-19 such as wearing a mask, washing hands, keeping a distance, staying away from crowds, and reducing mobility.

Research Objectives: Analyzing the relationship between knowledge about Covid- 19 and the behavior of preventing the danger of Covid-19 on traders at the Oesapa Market, Kupang City..

Research Method: This research used descriptive analytic research with cross sectional. Sampling using the technique of acidental sample and obtained 40 research subjects.

Results: From the test results using the Contingency C test, there is no relationship between knowledge about Covid-19 and the behavior of preventing the danger of Covid-19, namely with a p value =0.291.

Conclusion: There is no significant relationship between knowledge about Covid- 19 and the behavior of preventing the danger of Covid-19 on traders at the Oesapa Market, Kupang City.

Analysis of The Relationship Between Compliance in Taking Pulmonary Tuberculosis Medication in East Kolaka District

/in /by

Tuberculosis is still a global health problem today. 5.8 million in 2020 and 6.4 million in 2021. The number of 2022 is a large number of people suffering from TB in the previous year. people diagnosed with TB in the world as many as 7.5 million people in 2022. This study is to analyze the relationship between adherence to taking pulmonary tuberculosis medication in East Kolaka Regency. This study was conducted in six working areas of the East Kolaka Regency Health Service, namely at the Tirawuta Health Center, Tinondo Health Center, Lalolae Health Center, Mowewe Health Center, Sanggona Health Center, and Ueesi Health Center in May – June 2024. This type of research is a study using a Cross Sectional Study approach with univariate, Bivariate, and Multivariate analysis. the population is 59 patients spread across six working areas of the East Kolaka Regency Health Service. Chi-Square Test Results of knowledge (P-Value 0.004<0.05), Family Support (P-Value 0.000<0.05), Role of Health Workers (P-Value 0.325), Stigma (P-Value 0.008<0.05), Access (P-Value-0.000<0.05), Income (P-Value-0.002<0.05), Medical Costs (P-Value0.003<0.05). The dominant variable is related to Access to Health Facilities with an OR value of 22.818. Access to health facilities is the main point in obtaining optimal health services. Compliance with taking tuberculosis medication is the basis for the success and completion of tuberculosis disease, it is expected that related parties will provide more emphasis on the consequences of non-compliance with taking tuberculosis medication.

Knowledge and Perception Regarding Caesarean Section Delivery and Its Determining Factors Among Married Women of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City

/in /by

Background: A Cesarean section (CS) is a surgical procedure that can save the lives of mothers and babies when certain complications arise during pregnancy or labor. This research study assessed the knowledge level, perception and various determining factors for caesarean section among married women of reproductive age.

Method: A Cross-sectional study was conducted among 349 married women of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City. The mixed method was used in this study; where face to face interviews were taken through semi-structured questionnaire and Likert scale for quantitative data and Key Informant Interview (KII) was completed with the obstetricians for qualitative data. Data collection was done in kobo tool which was generated to SPSS VS.20 and analyzed using Chi-square test and logistic regression for knowledge level and Man-Whitney test(U) and Kruskal–Wallis(H) test for perception where association were established with p value <0.05.

Results: Nearly six out of ten (59%) had adequate knowledge regarding caesarean section. Factors such as religion, education, gravida, previous place and previous mode of delivery were associated with the level of knowledge. In this study, respondents who had experienced previous CS and normal as well as CS were 2.822 (p=0.002) and 2.578 (p= 0.030) times respectively more likely to have adequate knowledge than those with previous normal delivery. The prevalence of CS was found to be 32.9% among the studied population. Major factors such as preferred mode and previous mode of delivery were associated with the perception. The median of perception was significantly higher among respondents who had previous experience of CS than the group who haven’t.

Conclusion: The findings indicated that most respondents had sufficient knowledge about cesarean sections (CS), despite the increasing prevalence of the procedure.  Respondents who had previously undergone a CS had a greater awareness of the procedure compared to those who had a normal vaginal delivery (NVD). Consequently, stakeholders at all levels of government should be held accountable for ensuring the quality and effectiveness of maternal and child health services provided by healthcare institutions.

Dietary Educational Program and Its Effect on the Knowledge of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus in Rivers State Nigeria

/in /by

Background: Diet is one of the key risk factors of T2DM because many nations have experienced dietary changes favoring increased calorie consumption due of urbanization and economic expansion. However, many diabetic patients still suffer the complications of diabetes mellitus because of their poor knowledge of the dietary management of diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effects of a dietary educational program on the knowledge of diabetic patients. This study was carried out among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) and University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Rivers State, Nigeria. This study used a quasi-experimental design. Multistage sampling techniques was used to enroll a total of 162 participants,  with 81 in the Control Group (CG) and 81 in the Experimental Group (EG), while Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) and University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) served as EG and CG respectively. Both groups received equal intervention of personalized meal timetables and 2 weekly phone call follow-ups. Additionally,   EG received Dietary education, using cooked and raw food demonstrations. Data was collected using a Semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data while the statistics analysis was conducted using SPSS version 22 statistical software with a p-value of <0.05 regarded as significant. Patients’ QoL, knowledge were assessed at baseline and six months (P1 & P3). The knowledge was classified into “good” fair and “poor,” At P1, EG had poor knowledge (EG: 17.3%) while CG had 18.5%. Knowledge at P3, 0% of patients in EG had poor knowledge while 17.3 % was seen in CG there was an improvement in both groups with p=0.001. Because of the educational program, the patients’ knowledge was affected positively at the end of the program. However, EG had better knowledge because of the demonstration of food. Thus, dietary intervention programs improved the knowledge of the patients.

Barriers and Facilitators to Cervical Cancer vaccination Among Young Females in Chennai: A Cross-Sectional KAP Study

/in /by

Cervical cancer develops in the cervix, primarily caused by persistent infection with high-risk types of human papilloma virus (HPV). It is one of the most common cancers in women, especially in low- and middle-income countries. While most HPV infections resolve naturally, some persist and can lead to cervical cancer over time.

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of young women in Chennai regarding cervical cancer, screening, and prevention, and to identify barriers and facilitators influencing participation in screening programs.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to May 2024 among 222 young females, aged 13 and above.. A semi-structured questionnaire assessed their KAP towards cervical cancer. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and Bloom’s taxonomy was applied to categorize knowledge and attitude. Chi-square tests were used to determine statistical significance, with a p-value < 0.05.

Results: Although 78.2% of participants were aware of cervical cancer, knowledge of preventive measures was low—only 25.2% knew about the HPV vaccine, and 44% understood the correct Pap test frequency. Attitudes toward screening were mostly positive, with 73.2% agreeing that free screening reduces cervical cancer risk. However, actual preventive practices were limited—only 9% had undergone a Pap smear, and 10% had received the HPV vaccine. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in KAP between groups (p > 0.05), except for medical students, who demonstrated significantly higher knowledge levels.

Conclusion: Despite positive attitudes toward cervical cancer screening, there were notable gaps in knowledge and preventive practices among young women in Chennai. The findings underscore the need for targeted educational interventions, particularly on HPV vaccination and routine screening, to bridge these gaps.

The Analysis of Knowledge to the Skill of Health Cadres in Carrying Out the Early Detection of Pneumonia in Sick Children in the Working Area of Public Health Centre, Belimbing Padang City

/in /by

Under-five year children  death  in Indonesia due to pneumonia are 32 per 1000 live birth.  Data in 2018  in West Sumatra, the prevalence of ISPA was 5%, pneumonia rose to 2.5%, in the city of Padang in 2018, the number of pneumonia sufferers were 3,196 under-five year children (3.91 %). In public  Health Center, Belimbing the cases of respiratory tract infection is ranked first among the ten most common diseases (53%). The aim of the research is to analyze the knowledge to the  skill of cadres regarding the early detection of pneumonia in under five year children. This research design is a cross-sectional study. The population in this research were  55 respondents. Data collection used questionnaires and observation sheets. Data processing was used by editing, coding, entrying and cleaning. Univariate analysis was made in frequency distribution in percentages, and bivariate analysis used the Chi square test (CI 95%). The research results showed that there is a relationship between knowledge to health cadres’s skill, with  p-value (0.004). It is hoped that cooperation will continue the program for sustainability and conduct continuous evaluation to reduce pneumonia.