The Relationship Between Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) Infection and the Stunting Incidence in Toddlers at the Kedai Durian Community Health Center, Medan, Johor, in 2023

Abstrak

ABSTRACT
Background:
Worldwide, around 1 in 4 toddlers experience stunting. Stunting can cause
disorders in the form of stunted brain growth and immune system
disorders in toddlers. Malnutrition at an early age is found to occur in the
first 1000 days of life can increase the risk of infant and child mortality. It
is known that chronic STH infection can cause stunting in children.
Purpose: this study was to determine whether there is a relationship
between Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) infection and the incidence of
stunting in toddlers at the Kedai Durian Health Center, Medan Johor in
2023.
Research Method: this was carried out in an analytical observational
manner with an approach using a cross-sectional design, which is only
momentary or sees the relationship between soil transmitted helminths
infection and the incidence of stunting in toddlers at the Kedai Durian
Health Center, Medan Johor in 2023 when the study was taking place. The
sampling technique used purposive sampling. Which is to obtain a sample
of 35 respondents based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Results: from this study, the most respondents were children infected with
STH worms, as many as 19 respondents (54.3%), and those who were not
infected were 16 respondents (45.7%), it was obtained that the most
children who were stunted were 17 respondents (48.6%), and those who
were not stunted were 18 respondents (51.4%). and There is a relationship
between STH worm infection and stunting with (chisquare count 10.493>
chisquare table (0.05(1)) 3.841, P value 0.01 and RP (3.8). [95% CI 1.37 -
11.28]. From these results, it was also found that children who suffer from
STH infection have a prevalence of stunting 3.8 times more than those who
are not infected with STH, so that STH infection is a high risk factor for
stunting in toddlers.
Conclusion: The results of the study found a relationship between STH
infection and the incidence of stunting.
Keywords: Worms, Infection, Stunting