Health and Nutrition Assistance for Vulnerable Groups in Communities Affected by Natural Disasters
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69855/samec.v3i1.674Keywords:
Health Assistance, Nutrition Assistance, Vulnerable Groups, Natural Disasters, Participatory Action ResearchAbstract
Natural disasters create serious health and nutritional challenges, particularly for vulnerable groups such as toddlers, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, older adults, and people with disabilities. Limited access to healthcare, nutritious food, and health information often worsens their condition. This community service program aimed to improve access to basic health services, enhance nutritional support, and increase health and nutrition knowledge among vulnerable groups affected by natural disasters in Batipuh District, Tanah Datar Regency. A Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach was implemented involving 65 participants selected through purposive sampling. Program activities included basic health screening, nutritional assistance, health and nutrition education, and evaluation using pre- and post-tests. Data were analyzed descriptively using frequencies, percentages, and knowledge score comparisons. All participants received health services and nutritional support. Health screening identified hypertension (27.7%), acute respiratory infections (12.3%), digestive disorders (9.2%), and skin diseases (6.2%). Nutritional assessment showed that 60.0% had good nutritional status, while 27.7% were at risk of malnutrition and 12.3% were undernourished. The educational intervention increased average knowledge scores from 61.38 to 84.77, representing a 38.1% improvement. Overall, the PAR-based program effectively improved healthcare access, nutritional support, and community knowledge while strengthening community capacity and promoting sustainable, community-based health and nutrition resilience in post-disaster settings.
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