Education Based on the Health Belief Model Theory for River Utilization in Muara Bangkal Village

Among rural communities in South Kalimantan, rivers are still the primary source of activities, such as in Muara Bangkal Village in Banjarmasin. Rivers are used for bathing, washing, defecating, and urinating or MCK (mandi-cuci-kakus). These activities pose significant health risk due to water pollution. This study applied the Health Belief Model (HBM) in Focus Group Discussions (FGD) to evaluate its effectiveness for improving health perceptions. The HBM framework emphasized perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers related to river usage, aiming to foster behavioral change through targeted education.The community service program involved 25 participants who completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires to assess perception changes. There was an improvement in scores from 34.76 to 39.24 after participants filled out questionnaires regarding river usage as a means of toilet and bath. All participants (100%) also said they used the river for bathing and washing. This community service education was published on the online mass media, the website, and on the YouTube channel. Participants' perceptions regarding river usage improve, which can be a stimulus in helping to alter the behavior of communities in utilizing the river for MCK.