Effectiveness of an Integrated Nutrition Rehabilitation on Growth and Development of Children under Five Post 2018 Earthquake in East Lombok, Indonesia

Abstract

Background: In August 2018 Lombok Island in Indonesia was hit by a 7 Richter scale earthquake. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of comprehensive nutrition disaster rehabilitation, based on the holistic integrated early child development concept, on the growth and development of children under five. Methods: A community-based intervention was performed in the East Lombok district; four villages in two sub-districts were randomly allocated into intervention or control groups. Mothers of 6–49-month-old children in the intervention group (n = 240) attended parenting classes (twice weekly) and received shredded fish/liver/anchovy and optimized complementary feeding/food-based recommendations, developed using linear programming. Health staff from the public health center and teachers from early childhood education (ECE) centers delivered parenting sessions on health–nutrition and care–education. The control group (n = 240) received existing health services. Indicators measured at baseline and the end line point were weight, length/height, hemoglobin, feeding practices, psychosocial care (HOME) and maternal stress (SRQ). At the end line point, child development was assessed using BSID-III. Results: At the end line point, maternal stress and child morbidity (cough) were lower and dietary diversity (+1) in 6–23-month-old children, and weight-for-age Z-score (+0.26) and social emotional score (+10 points) in ≥24-month-old children were higher in the intervention group. Conclusions: The nutrition rehabilitation intervention delivered through ECE centers has a positive effect on the growth and development of children under five in post-disaster conditions.

Improving child nutrition in disasters by developing a modeled disaster preparedness nutrition education curriculum

“…An intervention study involving a participatory activity for primary school pupils, aimed at building community resilience, showed that children had a more positive view of their health and community food afterward ( 33 ). Similarly, following the August 2018 earthquake in Lombok Island, Indonesia, an integrated nutrition rehabilitation intervention, including health, nutrition, education, and care, positively impacted the growth and development of children under 5 years in post-disaster conditions ( 34 ). The soaring cases of infectious diseases, mental health issues, and malnutrition-related morbidity and mortality among children in disaster contexts, occasioned by food insecurity, pre-disaster malnutrition, sociocultural factors, and organizational challenges, emphasize the need for disaster preparedness nutrition education for children’s empowerment ( 12 ).…”

Disaster Response and Management: The Integral Role of Rehabilitation

“…Wu et al [ 49 ] demonstrated that modern technological intervention (virtual reality videogames) adjunct to traditional occupational therapy interventions can have better improvement in function, scar management, and hand function in patients with severe hand burns. In another study, Fah­mida et al [ 50 ] showed that integrated community-based nutrition rehabilitation intervention can have benefits in reducing maternal stress, child morbidity and in improving the growth and development of children in post-disaster conditions. However, there was no evidence for the best type/mode/intensity (frequency, duration) of these interventions or the superiority of one intervention over another.…”