Monday, 10 July 2023, the Faculty of Public Health (FPH), Universitas Indonesia (UI) held an Open Doctoral Promotion Session with Promovendus Maryuni. The session chaired by Prof. dr. Kemal N. Siregar, S.K.M., M.A., Ph.D., this was held in a hybrid manner in the Doctoral Promotion Room, Building G FPH UI and Zoom Meetings.
The session was attended by Prof. Dr. dr. Sabarinah, M.Sc., as the Promoter and Prof. Dr. dr. Evi Martha, M. Kes., and Dr. dr. Shrimarti Rukmini Devy, M.Kes., as co-promoter. At this session Maryuni defended her dissertation entitled Empowering Hamlet Heads in Promoting Culture-Based Childbirth Preparedness in Pacitan District, East Java Province. This dissertation departs from the awareness of the importance of socio-cultural aspects in reducing maternal mortality. Pacitan Regency itself was chosen because the coverage of obstetric complications handled in Pacitan Regency has not yet reached 80%. In addition, deliveries in health facilities also only reached 85.61%. Both can affect MMR, however, the interventions that have occurred so far have focused on programs and have not paid attention to socio-cultural factors.
This research was conducted through various stages. The first stage is a qualitative study of pregnant women, midwives, husbands of pregnant women, and several other informants. After that, cultural-based intervention modules and models were developed written in Javanese. Third, a quantitative design was carried out with 172 samples of pregnant women aged 15-49 years.
Through the research conducted, it was concluded that this culture-based preparedness counseling intervention was able to increase the birth preparedness score for pregnant women in rural areas. This intervention was carried out by the hamlet accompanied by cadres and used the Javanese culture-based birth preparedness module prepared by Maryuni and the team. There are 5 (five) out of 10 components of childbirth preparedness that need attention and education as early as possible, namely donor preparation, cost preparation, Postpartum Family Planning plans, preparation of important documents, and mother and baby equipment. In addition to the intervention and education modules, research conducted by Maryuni also resulted in Village Regulations regarding the prohibition and prevention of early marriage. Furthermore, it is hoped that this model can be replicated in all villages in Pacitan District.
Through the results of the discussion the chairperson, promoter, co-promoter, and the examining team consisting of Dr. dr. Trihono, M.Sc.; Jerico Franciscus Pardosi, Ph.D.; Dr. dr. Arietta Rathmanaswari Djuned Pusponegoro, Sp.OG(K); and Dr. Indra Supradewi, S.K.M., M.K.M., it was decided that Maryuni graduated as a Doctor of Public Health with a Cumlaude degree. “This degree you have won is a sign that you are starting to take part as an academic with more research capacity than before and I hope this will continue to be honed,” said Prof. Patience.
Dr. Maryuni who is Head of the D3 Midwifery Study Program at Binawan University is the 288th Doctor of Public Health graduate and the 372nd Doctor of FPH UI. (BK)
