Child Health Care Practices and Stunting in Children Aged 12-36 Months in Jember Regency of Indonesia

Abstract

Stunting is a major nutritional problem in children under five that occurs in developing countries. Child health care practices by good parents can prevent stunting in children from an early age. Child health care practices include immunization, sick child care, hand washing, clean water supply and drinking water, and sanitation. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of child health care practices on stunting in children aged 12-36 months in Jember Regency, Indonesia. This research was an observational analytic study using case-control design. The population of the study were the mothers with children aged 12-36 months in the sub-disctricts of Arjasa and Kencong in Jember Regency. The sample were selected using simple random sampling technique, totaling of 220 mothers. The data were analyzed using chi-square statistic tests and multiple logistic regression tests. The results of tests discovered that most of the subjects were poorly educated and as housewives. The significant determinants associated with stunting were completeness of basic immunization, water supply and drinking water, and sanitation (p < .05). Thus, we can conclude that there was a significant effect of child health care practices on stunting in children under five. It should be further investigated about the influence of socio-cultural factors that affect child health care practices.