On Wednesday, 13 July 2022, Faculty of Public Health (FPH) Universitas Indonesia (UI) held an open session for the Promotion of a Doctor of Epidemiology with promovendus Esti Sri Ananingsih in an online manner. Esti defended her dissertation entitled “Relationship of Head Circumference Size of 0-6 Months and 6-12 Months of Age with the Cognitive Development of Children Aged 24 Months”. This session was chaired by Prof. drg. Nurhayati A. P., M.P.H., M.Sc., Sc.D., with Promoter Prof. Dr. dr. Ratna Djuwita Hatma, M.P.H., and Co-promoter Prof. Dr. dr. Endang Laksminingsih Achadi, M.P.H., and Prof. Dr. dr. Hardiono Pusponegoro, Sp.A (K). Acting as examiner is Prof. Dr. dr. Budi Utomo, M.P.H., Ph.D.; Prof. Dr. dr. Rini Sekartini, Sp.A (K); Dr. Ir. Anies Irawati, M. Kes.; Dr. Besral, S.K.M., M.Sc., and Dr. Yekti Widodo, S.P., M.Kes.
Esti researched 271 children in Bogor City using secondary data, namely the Bogor City Balitbangkes Children Development Cohort Data for 2012-2018. As a result, the size of the head circumference of children aged 0, 6, and 12 months was not related to the cognitive development of children aged 24 months, nor was there an increase in the size of the head circumference of children aged 6-12 months. However, for children with an average increase in head circumference aged 0-6 months by 7.5 cm and receiving exclusive breastfeeding, the cognitive development score at 24 months will increase. This figure is more significant than other children his age.
In addition to these main findings, there are several other findings:
- Most children aged 24 months in 5 sub-districts of Bogor City are quite cognitively developed compared to children of their age.
- The average size of the head circumference of children aged 0, 6, and 12 months is slightly smaller than the WHO average.
- Most children are exclusively breastfed and fully immunized, and the average birth weight is above 2500 grams.
The results of this study certainly cannot be generalized to all regions due to the relatively small number of samples and the high potential for selection bias and information bias.
This research will provide an overview of the importance of monitoring development using various anthropometric measures of child development and growth. Head circumference measurement should be optimized in the first year after birth, which is a critical period for brain growth and head circumference.
Based on the results of her dissertation, Esti Sri Ananingsih successfully passed and became a Doctor in Epidemiology with a very satisfying graduation. Esti is the 96th Ph.D. graduate of Epidemiology, the 344th Ph.D. graduate of FPH UI and the 5th Ph.D. graduate of Epidemiology in 2022. (BK)
