Scaling up nutrition competency: The impact of an integrated self-directed online course on maternal and child nutrition for health professionals

¹ Department of Public Health Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, 16424 Depok, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
² Stunting Resource Center, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, 16424 Depok, Jawa Barat, Indonesia

Abstract

Stunting remains a major public health problem in Indonesia, while health workers’ knowledge varies despite their key role as information sources. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a large-scale, self-paced online course in improving knowledge of stunting, anaemia, and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF). A pre-post design involved 339 health workers, including midwives, nurses, nutritionists, doctors, and sanitarians from Kalimantan, Java, and Nusa Tenggara. Conducted from October to November 2023 through the PDRC FKM UI Learning Centre, the programme comprised three sequential two-week modules covering 15 stunting topics, 14 anaemia topics, and 7 IYCF topics through short animated videos and digital pocketbooks. Knowledge was assessed before and after each module and analysed using the Wilcoxon test and Spearman’s correlation. Scores increased significantly across all modules (p<0.001), with gains of 16–30 points; IYCF showed the greatest improvement (+30.12 points). Video-viewing frequency was positively correlated with post-test scores (p<0.05). Although digital learning effectively improved knowledge and reduced geographical barriers, the 55% completion rate indicates that future programmes should strengthen participant motivation and engagement to improve completion and sustain impact.