Health literacy based on the Health Promotion Model to improve maternal behaviors in preventing the risk of stunting in children

Health literacy is a key component of health promotion aimed at modifying lifestyle behaviors and increasing awareness of how health determinants influence quality of life (QOL). This motivates individuals and families to proactively address health-related challenges. This study aimed to examine the effect of health literacy on parental behavior in preventing the risk of stunting in children. A quasi-experimental design was employed, utilizing a pre-test and post-test non-equivalent control-group approach. The participants were mothers of children aged 0-23 months selected through purposive sampling, with a total of 58 respondents. They were divided into intervention and control groups. The results showed significant differences in maternal behaviors related to preventing stunting between the intervention and control groups, as evidenced by pre- and post-test comparisons (p<0.05). Specifically, health literacy had a statistically significant effect on maternal behavior in preventing stunting (p=0.001). Based on these findings, it is recommended that primary healthcare services enhance their efforts to prevent stunting by incorporating health literacy interventions such as educational modules and mentoring programs targeted at mothers and their families.