Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA (JPPIPA)
Vol 12 No 1 (2026)

Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) as an Intervention to Reduce Iron Deficiency Among Pregnant Women: First-Year Findings from a Study in West Lombok

Erien Luthfia (Poltekkes Kemenkes Mataram)
Lina Sundayani (Poltekkes Kemenkes)
Hadi Kusuma Atmaja (Poltekkes Kemenkes Mataram)



Article Info

Publish Date
25 Jan 2026

Abstract

Anemia during pregnancy remains a significant public health problem, particularly in Indonesia where prevalence exceeds the global average. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) intervention in improving knowledge of iron-deficiency anemia among pregnant women in West Lombok. A quasi-experimental pre–posttest design was conducted with 60 pregnant women divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention involved six PLA sessions focusing on community discussions, nutrition education, and family participation. Knowledge scores were analyzed using paired t-tests and Mann–Whitney U tests, complemented by effect sizes and qualitative thematic analysis. Results showed a substantial improvement in the intervention group, with the proportion of good knowledge increasing from 20.0% to 80.0% and mean scores rising from 11.5 ± 2.5 to 16.8 ± 1.8 (p < 0.001). The control group showed no significant change. Qualitative findings revealed improved spousal support, effective reminder strategies, and increased motivation among health cadres. PLA is an effective and scalable community-based approach for strengthening anemia prevention in maternal health programs.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jppipa

Publisher

Subject

Agriculture, Biological Sciences & Forestry Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology Chemical Engineering, Chemistry & Bioengineering Chemistry Education Materials Science & Nanotechnology Physics

Description

Science Educational Research Journal is international open access, published by Science Master Program of Science Education Graduate Program University of Mataram, contains scientific articles both in the form of research results and literature review that includes science, technology and teaching ...