Awareness, Motivation, and Intentions in Preventing Stunting in the Dry Land Area of Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province

Abstract

This study aims to determine mothers' level of awareness, motivation, and intentions in preventing stunting in dry areas that tend to be food insecure. The type of research used was qualitative, using a phenomenological approach through interviews, forum group discussions, and observations. The informants involved were 20 mothers with babies 0-23 months and 3 health workers responsible for the Kupang Regency stunting program. The mother's awareness regarding stunting prevention efforts could be seen from the mother's knowledge, action cues, and risk perception. In-depth interviews were conducted with informants regarding the mother's motivation, reflected in the mother's attitude and self-confidence in carrying out stunting prevention efforts. The results of FGDs and in-depth interviews with mothers revealed that they knew nothing about stunting and had never even heard of the term. This was similar to what health workers stated; people generally did not know the term stunting. Actions to prevent stunting in the form of breastfeeding revealed that they act to provide breast milk to children which is part of efforts to prevent stunting due to encouragement from health workers and also families. The mother's intention to make efforts to prevent stunting properly is by doing a number of things, including providing nutritious food, routinely checking children at the Puskesmas and taking good care of them. The conclusion is mother's awareness regarding stunting prevention efforts, judging from the variety of mothers' knowledge, some have never heard of the term stunting, some know the term stunting but don't know what it means. Their cues to act were obtained from health workers and their families. Perceptions of risks related to stunting in children, mothers consider it not a problem.