The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) of the University of Indonesia (UI) held an open session of doctoral promotion on behalf of Kencana Sari. Led by Dr. drs. Sutanto Priyo Hastono, MKes., as Chair of the Session, Prof. Dr. Dra. Ratu Ayu Dewi Sartika., Apt., M.Sc., as the Promoter, Prof. dr. Endang L. Achadi, MPH., Dr.PH., and Atmarita, MPH., Dr.PH., as Co-Promoters, this session was held online. The board of examiners consists of Prof. Dr. dr. Hartono Gunardi., SpA(K); dr. Widjaja Lukito, SpGK, Ph.D; Dr. Yekti Widodo, SP., M.Kes.; and dr. Irma Ardiana, M. APS. Kencana defended his dissertation with the title “Catch Up Growth in Stunting Children (Data Analysis of Child Development Cohort Research in Bogor City in 2012-2019)”.
“Indonesia is faced with the challenge of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) goal 2.2 where by 2025, the target for stunting reduction is 40% from the starting point in 2010,” said Kencana opening the summary of his dissertation.
The purpose of this study was to analyse the pursuit of growth in stunted and non-stunted children. The results of this study are expected to determine the incidence, time analysis, and factor analysis of determinants of catch-up growth in stunted and non-stunted children. The research was conducted using a longitudinal method (panel study) to analyse the incidence, timing of growth spurts, and factors related to growth catch-up between groups with repeated measurements. Quantitative data is sourced from a longitudinal study of the Child Development Cohort (KTKA) which has been carried out since 2012 by the Health Research and Development Agency, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia.
The results of Kencana’s research show that the first hypothesis is that children who are stunted at the age of 12 months have slower growth rates than children who are not stunted at the age of 12 months. While the second hypothesis, namely stunted children at the age of 12 months has a longer time to achieve growth goals than children who are not stunted at the age of 12 months, as evidenced by various data analyses.
Kencana suggested one of them to the government to try to reduce stunting (stunted with the consequences). Prevention efforts are suggested to focus on prevention starting from pregnancy until children are 2 years old (First 1000 Days of Life) through strengthening existing programs to cover the 90% target.
Based on the results of her dissertation, Kencana successfully passed and became a Doctor in the field of Public Health Sciences. Kencana is the 261st Doctor of Public Health graduate and the 336th Doctoral Program graduate at FPH UI.
