From Community Health Evidence to International Publication: EQUITY Inspires UNAND Researchers to Tackle Stunting

Prof. Nur Indrawaty Lipoeto’s study connects nutrition, maternal knowledge, and early childhood development, showing how carefully collected regional data can support broader scientific and policy discussions.

PADANG — Research into childhood stunting in West Sumatra has become an international scientific publication through work supported by Universitas Andalas’ (UNAND) EQUITY Program. Led by Prof. dr. Nur Indrawaty Lipoeto, M.Sc., Ph.D., Sp.GK(K), of the Faculty of Medicine, the study demonstrates how evidence gathered in communities can contribute to public health scholarship and stimulate further research.

The article, “The Relationship between Maternal Role and Psychomotor and Mental Development among Stunted Children in West Sumatra, Indonesia,” was published in the International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition. It examines associations between maternal knowledge and caregiving factors and developmental outcomes among young children identified as stunted.

The researchers screened 265 infants aged 6–12 months in nine villages in West Sumatra and analyzed 89 stunted infants. The study used a cross-sectional design, with mental and psychomotor development evaluated through the Bayley Scales of Infant Development alongside maternal interviews and direct observation.

Among the 89 infants studied, 30.3% experienced delayed mental development and 38.2% experienced delayed psychomotor development. Lower maternal nutritional knowledge was strongly associated with both developmental outcomes. Lower maternal education was associated with delayed mental development, while suboptimal caregiving practices were associated with delayed psychomotor development.

The findings strengthen the case for investigating more targeted nutrition education, parental support, and early-childhood stimulation programs. As the study is cross-sectional, however, the observed associations should not be presented as proof that any one factor causes developmental delay. Follow-up cohort and intervention studies are needed to test which approaches improve outcomes.

For lecturers, this achievement offers a valuable model: a carefully framed question, an appropriate methodology, and community-relevant evidence can produce work of international significance. The subject also creates space for collaboration among nutrition, clinical medicine, psychology, education, public policy, data science, and community health researchers.

Vice Rector IV Prof. Henmaidi has emphasized the importance of scholarship that contributes to international knowledge while responding to local needs. EQUITY Chair Dr. Eng. Muhammad Makky, S.T.P., M.Si., has encouraged research that continues beyond publication into stronger networks, policy-relevant evidence, and well-designed follow-up initiatives.

This is an invitation to lecturers at different stages of their research careers. Faculty members with existing datasets, collaborative fieldwork, or promising community observations can begin by identifying the most consequential unanswered question, assembling a suitable team, and planning a realistic set of scientific outputs. Not every project must begin with a new laboratory technology; rigorous social and clinical evidence can also have considerable value.

UNAND lecturers interested in the next EQUITY opportunity are encouraged to prepare proposals in advance and follow official announcements concerning themes, participation requirements, selection, and deadlines. Prof. Nur Indrawaty’s team shows how research addressing urgent needs in West Sumatra can become part of a wider international conversation—and lead to the next generation of impactful studies.

This activity is funded by the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) on behalf of the Indonesian Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology and managed under the EQUITY Program (Contract No.4304/B3/DT.03.08/2025).