Peer-reviewed article
Mother's Experiences in Caring for Children with Stunting in Rural Indonesia.
Pipit Festi Wiliyanarti, Idham Choliq, Uswatun Hasanah, Shu-Yuan Lin ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study explored how mothers in rural Indonesia care for children with stunting through interviews with 11 Madurese mothers. The research found that stunting is linked to deeply rooted cultural beliefs about feeding, reliance on traditional foods, lack of money and time to buy nutritious food, and limited nutrition education. The findings highlight that addressing stunting requires understanding local cultural practices alongside tackling economic barriers and providing better nutrition information.
Key points
- Stunting in rural Indonesia is influenced by generational cultural beliefs about how children should be fed
- Mothers have insufficient resources (time and money) to provide nutrition-rich food
- Mothers lack adequate nutrition information to support child growth
- Traditional health-seeking behaviors are deeply embedded in Madurese communities
- Effective stunting interventions must be tailored to local cultural contexts and address economic constraints
Limitations
This qualitative study describes mothers' experiences and beliefs but does not measure the actual nutritional intake of children or track health outcomes. The small sample size of 11 mothers from one rural district limits generalisability to other regions in Indonesia or globally.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Stunting is a major health problem in Indonesia. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of mothers who take care of stunted children in rural Pamekasan Madura, Indonesia. METHODS: This research employed a phenomenological approach and conducted in-depth interviews with 11 mothers in rural Pamekasan Madura, Indonesia, using purposive sampling. Data collection took place from June to September 2023. RESULTS: This study presents Madurese mothers' experiences caring for their children with stunting through two themes and five sub-themes: (a) beliefs passed down for generations: strong ancestral influence on feeding behaviors, traditional food, and traditional health-seeking behavior; and (b) insufficient resources on nutrition: a lack of time and money to provide nutrition-rich food and a lack of nutrition information. DISCUSSION: Cultural beliefs, a lack of nutrition education, and economic barriers contribute to stunting in children. Our findings guide the design of tailored interventions for preventing stunting in Indonesian families and global communities.