Strategi Pencegahan Stunting pada Periode 1000 HPK di Kabupaten Aceh Barat

Abstract

The prevalence of stunting in West Aceh Regency was 27.4% (high category) and increased in 2022 to 30.4% (very high category). By 2023, the prevalence continued to rise, reaching 33.4%. The first 1,000 days of life (HPK), spanning pregnancy until a child reaches two years of age, represent the “golden period” for preventing stunting. Although various government strategies have been introduced, field implementation often encounters challenges, highlighting the need to evaluate existing strategies and to design more integrated, comprehensive, and context-specific approaches. The general objective of this study was to design stunting prevention strategies during the first 1,000 days of life in West Aceh Regency that optimize stunting mitigation efforts. The study employed a convergen mixed-methods design, beginning with a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative phase. The quantitative analysis used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with a Partial Least Square (PLS) approach. The study population consisted of 3,785 mothers with children aged 0–24 months. Sampling was conducted using Isaac and Michael’s table with a 5% error margin, resulting in a sample size of 320 mothers. Quantitative findings revealed that factors influencing stunting in West Aceh Regency included exclusive breastfeeding for 0–24 months (R²=0.426; Q²=0.412), parenting during pregnancy (R²=0.266; Q² = 0.247), and child-rearing practices for children aged 0–24 months (R²=0.396; Q²=0.385). Qualitative findings confirmed that exclusive breastfeeding had a significant impact on reducing stunting and was identified as the most influential factor. The effective stunting prevention strategy during the first 1,000 days of life in West Aceh Regency is an integrative approach, involving: (1) the pregnancy period (270 days) through maternal care practices, (2) the neonatal period of 0–6 months (180 days) through exclusive breastfeeding, and (3) the period of 6–24 months (550 days) through optimal child-rearing practices. It is expected that stunting prevention efforts in West Aceh Regency will be strengthened through the application of this integrative strategy.