Effectiveness of complementary feeding (MP-ASI) training on knowledge of disaster volunteers in BPBD Padang City: A pre– post-test study

¹ Departement of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
² Departement of Pediatric, Dr. M. Djamil General Hospital, Padang, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: drkarina1988@gmail.com

Abstract

Disaster situations pose significant risks to children’s nutritional status, making the role of well-informed volunteers essential, especially concerning complementary feeding (MP-ASI). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of MP-ASI training on the knowledge of disaster response volunteers at BPBD Padang City. Using a one-group pre-test and post-test design—chosen due to practical constraints common in real-world intervention studies—23 volunteers attended a training session that included hands-on demonstrations and received a pocket guidebook on MP-ASI at BPBD Padang City on June 15, 2025. Participants completed a 20-item knowledge questionnaire before and after the training. Demographic data indicated that most participants were housewives (43.5%), had a senior high school education (56.6%), and a mean age of 46.3 years. The mean pre-test score increased from 13.4 to 15.9 post-training, with a median rise from 14 to 17, indicating a significant gain in knowledge (p < 0.001). The findings suggest that structured MP-ASI training—especially when combined with interactive, practical components and reinforced with portable reference materials—can effectively enhance the capacity of disaster response volunteers, ultimately supporting better nutritional practices for children during emergencies.