The Relationship between Stunting and the Level of Child Development in the Former Gaky Endemic Area of Buntu Batu District, Enrekang Regency

Abstract

Stunting is closely associated with growth and development disorders. However, in Enrekang District, which is known to have a high prevalence of stunting, human development is actually very good, as evidenced by the Human Development Index (HDI) ranking second highest in South Sulawesi. It is suspected that another factor contributing to this is GAKY, as in 2003 it was an endemic GAKY area. The current unknown status of GAKY and the high prevalence of stunting while the HDI is good form the basis for conducting research related to the relationship between stunting and the level of infant development in former GAKY endemic areas. This study used a cross-sectional research design. The development of the sample, namely toddlers, was measured using the Developmental Pre-Screening Questionnaire (KPSP) and descriptive analysis was performed using SPSS. The results showed that the prevalence of stunting in toddlers in Buntu Batu Subdistrict was quite high at 48.5%. The prevalence of GAKY in mothers of toddlers in Buntu Batu Subdistrict was 42%. The developmental level of toddlers (motor, personal social, speech and language, and socialisation and independence) in Buntu Batu Subdistrict was normal in 44 cases (45.4%), suspected in 31 cases (32%), and abnormal in 22 cases (22.6%). From the research results, it can be concluded that there is no relationship between stunting and the developmental level of infants in Buntu Batu Subdistrict, with a p-value of 0.083.