Stunting Prevalence and Correlates Among Children in Indonesia

Stunting Prevalence and Correlates Among Children in Indonesia

Published: Jul 29, 2017
Publisher: Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research
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Associated Project

Indonesia: Improving Maternal and Child Health Through Training and Community Engagement

Time frame: 2013-2020

Prepared for:

Millennium Challenge Corporation

Authors

Amanda Beatty

Nick Ingwersen

Clair Null

Key Findings

Key Findings:

  • Stunting is a problem that disproportionately affects the poor, indicating that targeting efforts should clearly focus on this population. The data shows strong associations between stunting and mother’s education and household assets.
  • The association between vaccines and stunting indicates that vaccines as well as general health checkups and awareness may be helpful in reducing stunting. The posyandu program is an important component of early childhood health care, especially because it provides vaccines. Sixty-four percent of children had visited the posyandu in the last six months. Although the data showed no relationship between attendance in posyandu and stunting, it remains a critical mechanism for vaccines and health education, and programs that strengthen the posyandu may be supportive of vaccination and in turn mitigating stunting.
  • Access to an improved water source or soap near the hand washing facility (an indication of the ability to wash hands) did not appear to be important drivers of stunting.
  • Preventing fowl from entering the home, and therefore reducing the likelihood of children coming into contact with fowl or their feces, was associated with lower rates of stunting.
This stunting brief explores the prevalence of stunting and possible nutrition, sanitation, and health factors associated with growth faltering among children 0-35 months old in rural areas of Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, and South Sumatra in Indonesia. Data used in this analysis was collected in a household survey between November 2014 and February 2015. 

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