Edukasi kesehatan tentang malaria sebagai upaya mendukung program eliminasi malaria - Thoyibah, Zurriyatun; Haryani, Haryani; Mardani, Raden Ahmad Dedy; Metri, Ni Ketut; Hajri, Zuhratul (Indonesian Public Health-Observer Information Forum (IPHORR) Kerja sama dengan: Unit Penelitian dan Pengabdian Kep Akademi Keperawatan Baitul Hikmah, 2026)
Background: Malaria remains a public health problem in Indonesia, particularly in endemic and hypoendemic areas. Although the national elimination target was set for 2030, malaria cases were still reported as of 2024, including in West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. Bukit Tinggi Village, the working area of ​​the Penimbung Community Health Center, faces environmental risk factors, population mobility, and suboptimal preventive behaviors. Limited public knowledge is a major challenge in supporting malaria elimination. Purpose: To increase public knowledge, awareness, and understanding of malaria and its prevention as part of malaria elimination efforts. Method: This community service activity was carried out in September 2024 in Batu Kemalik Hamlet, Bukit Tinggi Village, Penimbung District, West Lombok Regency. The activity was attended by 20 community members and Batu Kemalik Hamlet officials. The target of the activity was community knowledge about malaria and maintaining the environment of Batu Kemalik Hamlet so that it does not become a malaria endemic. The activity was carried out with a community participation-based education approach. Measurement of knowledge levels used questionnaires with direct interviews given before the educational activity (pre-test) and after the educational activity (post-test). Observation activities were carried out in October 2024 as an evaluation in assessing program implementation in Batu Kemalik Hamlet. Descriptive evaluation was carried out by looking at changes in the knowledge and understanding scores of participants before the educational activity (pre-test) and after the educational activity (post-test). Results: The level of knowledge of participants before the educational activity was 2 (10.0%) in the good category, 4 (20.0%) in the sufficient category, and 14 (70.0%) in the poor category. There was an increase in knowledge of participants after the educational activity, with 18 (90.0%) in the good category and 2 (10.0%) in the sufficient category. This increase in knowledge was also demonstrated by the practical efforts undertaken after receiving education on malaria prevention. Conclusion: Community service activities through health education using an interactive and participatory approach have had a significant impact on increasing public knowledge and understanding of malaria. The increased public knowledge through these activities also increased community motivation and awareness to implement malaria management and prevention measures in their communities as an effort to end the malaria endemic. Suggestion: Strengthening sustainable education programs through empowering health cadres and establishing malaria awareness groups is recommended, with regular and continuous health education implementation to enable the community to play an active role as agents of change in malaria prevention. It is hoped that similar community service activities can become a model for sustainable community-based health education and contribute significantly to supporting the achievement of the malaria elimination target in West Lombok Regency. Keywords: Community health; Health education; Malaria; Malaria elimination; Malaria prevention Pendahuluan: Malaria masih menjadi masalah kesehatan masyarakat di Indonesia, terutama di wilayah endemis dan hipoendemis. Meskipun target eliminasi nasional ditetapkan pada 2030, kasus malaria masih dilaporkan hingga 2024, termasuk di Kabupaten Lombok Barat, Nusa Tenggara Barat. Desa Bukit Tinggi, wilayah kerja Puskesmas Penimbung, memiliki faktor risiko lingkungan, mobilitas penduduk, serta perilaku pencegahan yang belum optimal. Keterbatasan pengetahuan masyarakat menjadi tantangan utama dalam mendukung eliminasi malaria. Tujuan: Untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan, kesadaran, dan pemahaman masyarakat tentang malaria dan pencegahannya sebagai upaya eliminasi malaria. Metode: Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini dilaksanakan pada bulan September 2024.di Dusun Batu Kemalik, Desa Bukit Tinggi, Kecamatan Penimbung, Kabupaten Lombok Barat. Kegiatan dikuti oleh 20 orang warga masyarakat dan aparatur Dusun Batu Kemalik. Sasaran kegiatan adalah pengetahuan masyarakat tentang malaria dan menjaga lingkungan Dusun Batu Kemalik agar tidak menjadi endemi malaria. Kegiatan dilaksanakan dengan pendekatan edukasi berbasis partisipasi masyarakat. Pengukuran tingkat pengetahuan menggunakan kuesioner dengan wawancara langsung yang diberikan sebelun kegiatan edukasi (pre-test) dan sesudah kegiatan edukasi (post-test). Kegiatan observasi dilakukan pada bulan Oktober 2024 sebagai evaluasi dalam memberikan penilaian pelaksanaan program di Dusun Batu Kemalik. Evaluasi secara deskriptif dilakukan dengan melihat perubahan nilai pengetahuan dan pemahaman peserta sebelum kegiatan edukasi (pre-test) dan sesudah kegiatan edukasi (post-test). Hasil: menunjukkan bahwa tingkat pengetahuan peserta sebelum kegiatan edukasi adalah sebanyak 2 orang (10.0%) dalam kategori baik, sebanyak 4 orang (20.0%) dalam kategori cukup, dan sebanyak 14 orang (70.0%) dalam kategori kurang. Terdapat peningkatan pengetahuan peserta setelah kegiatan edukasi menjadi sebanyak 18 orang (90.0%) dalam kategori baik dan sebanyak 2 orang (10.0%) dalam kategori cukup. Peningkatan pengetahuan peserta juga ditunjukkan dengan upaya praktik yang dilakukan setelah menerima edukasi dalam pencegahan malaria. Simpulan: Kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat melalui edukasi kesehatan dengan pendekatan interaktif dan partisipatif meberikan dampak nyata dalam meningkatkan pengetahuan dan pemahaman masyarakat tentang malaria. Meningkatnya pengetahuan masyarakat dalam kegiatan ini juga meningkatkan motivasi masyarakat dan kesadaran komunitas untuk melakukan penatalaksanaan dan langkah pencegahan malaria di lingkungan sebagai upaya memutus endemi kejadian malaria. Saran: Diharapkan adanya penguatan program edukasi berkelanjutan melalui pemberdayaan kader kesehatan dan pembentukan kelompok peduli malaria, dengan pelaksanaan pendidikan kesehatan secara rutin dan berkesinambungan agar masyarakat dapat berperan aktif sebagai agen perubahan dalam pencegahan malaria. Diharapkan kegiatan pengabdian serupa dapat menjadi model edukasi kesehatan berbasis masyarakat yang berkelanjutan dan berkontribusi nyata dalam mendukung tercapainya target eliminasi malaria di Kabupaten Lombok Barat.