The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) Universitas Indonesia (UI) once again held an Open Doctoral Promotion Session on behalf of Ignatia Widya on Friday, July 7, 2023. The session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Ratu Ayu Dewi Sartika, Apt., M.Sc. and was attended by the Promoter, Prof. Dr. drg. Sandra Fikawati, M.P.H.; Co-promoter, Dr. dr. Rita Damayanti, MSPH.; the test team consisting of Ir. Ahmad Syafiq, M.Sc., Ph.D.; Dr. Anis Irawati; Dr. Martya Rahmaniati Makful, S.Sc., M.Sc.; dr. Widjaya Lukito, Sp.GK., Ph.D.; Dr. Ir. Bayu Krisnamurthi, M.Sc.; and Dr. Martina Mere. Ignatia Widya defended her dissertation entitled “Application of Planned Behavior Theory in WID-MPASI Intervention regarding Diversity of Local Food Consumption of Adequate MPASI for Various Babies 6-12 Months in Bogor City”.
Ignatia’s dissertation departs from the high stunting rate in infants aged 6-23 months, which is 38%. The problem of MPASI in Indonesia also varies, starting from the time it is given, the variety of food, its adequacy, and so on. Research conducted by Ignatia aims to assess differences in knowledge, self-efficacy, intentions, diversity, and adequacy of MPASI in Bogor City and to design effective WID-MPASI interventions for groups of mothers. Ignatia used a non-equivalent group design quasi-experimental research method by conducting a pre-test and post-test on 3 (three) different groups, namely the group of women who were intervened by health cadres, the group of women who were intervened via the WhatsApp group, and the control group.
From the results of her research, it is known that a group of mothers in Bogor City believe that preparing MPASI is a troublesome and difficult thing. For this reason, Ignatia created an intervention program called WID-MPASI (Online Information Forum for MPASI) which provides a package of MPASI interventions with 3 (three) persuasive messages, namely practical, economical, and easy. WID-MPASI is carried out through the WhatsApp group. Later, the mother group will be given 26 materials and 3 (three) videos about complementary foods which consist of education on stunting, stages of child development, baby food portions, and menu ideas for complementary foods. The WID-MPASI intervention through the WhatsApp group has been proven to increase mother’s knowledge up to 4.2 times, increase mother’s intention up to 8.2 times, and increase self-efficacy, food diversity, and MP-ASI adequacy.
Ignatia suggests for policy makers, especially the Indonesian Ministry of Health, to pay attention to belief factors when developing interventions. The WID-MPASI results from Ignatia’s research can also be applied to other urban areas in Indonesia. Further research can be carried out to identify the potential of local wisdom, especially local food that fulfills MPASI nutrients in each region to overcome malnutrition in Indonesia.
Ignatia Widya successfully defended her dissertation in front of the examiners and was awarded a cum laude pass and succeeded in becoming a doctorate in the field of Public Health Sciences (IKM). Ignatia is a graduate of the 11th Doctoral of Public Health Sciences in 2023, the 286th Doctoral of Public Health Sciences, and the 370th S3 FPH UI. (WR)
