ABSTRACT

Introduction: Adequate nutritional knowledge is a key factor which affect the nutrition status among lactating women. However, lactating women living in low income country had inadequate nutritional knowledge. Health education including local cultural beliefs about adequate nutrition during lactation is highly needed. The study aimed to determine the effect of a smartphone application-Nutsi-towards nutritional knowledge among lactating women living in low income country.

Method: This was a quasy-experimental study with control group, pretest and posttest design. This study used a consecutive sampling method and involved 78 respondents which divided into 39 respondents in intervention group and 39 respondents in control group. This study used demographic characteristics questionnaire and knowledge of breastfeeding mothers about balanced nutrition questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Wilcoxon test and Chi-square test.

Results: The majority of the respondents graduated Senior High School, had family income less than USD 150 per month, and mean of the respondent’s age was 20-35 years old. The result of this study found that there was a significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores in the intervention group (t=0,000 p<0,05). There was not significant difference between pre-test and post-test scores in the control group (t=1, p >0,05). Furthermore, there was a significant difference of post-test scores between intervention and control groups (t=0,000 p<0,05).

Conclusions: The developed smartphone application-Nutsi-was effective to increase nutritional knowledge among lactation mothers in low income country.

Keywords: lactating women, low income, smartphone application, nutritional knowledge.