THE EFFECT OF ADDITIONAL FOOD PROVISION (PMT) COUNSELING ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF MOTHERS WITH TODDLERS

Abstract

Nutritional problems among toddlers in Indonesia are still relatively high, one of which is caused by mothers' lack of knowledge regarding supplementary feeding (PMT). Health education is one effort to improve mothers' knowledge in fulfilling toddlers' nutritional needs. This study aims to determine the effect of education on the knowledge of mothers with toddlers regarding supplementary feeding (PMT) at three integrated health posts (Posyandu) within the Kunto Darussalam Community Health Center (Puskesmas). This study used a pre-experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest approach. The population in this study was 82 mothers with toddlers, with a sample of 45 respondents taken using a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaires before and after the education, then analyzed using a paired sample t-test. The results showed that the average knowledge of mothers before the education was 59.56 (SD=16.09) and increased to 80.33 (SD=15.71) after the education. The statistical test results showed a p-value of 0.000 (p<0.05), indicating a significant effect of counseling on improving mothers' knowledge about supplementary feeding (PMT).