Frontiers in Community Service and Empowerment

Mentoring and Improving Knowledge on the Benefits of Garlic in Reducing Blood Cholesterol Levels among Hypertensive Prolanis Members

Anik Handayati — 2026-06-30

Hypertension is a non-communicable disease that is a major cause of stroke and coronary heart disease. It is commonly found in the community and is a significant contributor to mortality and disability worldwide. A preliminary study showed that more than 50% of Prolanis members in Bangsah Village, Sreseh Subdistrict, Sampang Regency had high cholesterol levels; therefore, alternative supplements are needed to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Garlic is a food ingredient that is widely available in the community but has not been widely utilized as a cholesterol-lowering supplement. Garlic contains allicin, which has strong antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It also contains ajoene, saponins, flavonoids, and various sulfur compounds that contribute to its health benefits. Studies have shown that garlic consumption can help reduce total cholesterol and LDL levels. Therefore, education on processing garlic into black garlic is highly needed to reduce cholesterol levels among hypertensive Prolanis members. The results of the community service activity showed that the program was implemented smoothly and successfully, starting from the survey and coordination stage, the initial assessment, program implementation, and evaluation. The success of this PKM activity is expected to be beneficial for the wider community, especially regarding the use of garlic to reduce cholesterol levels. The evaluation results showed a 17% reduction in the number of hypertensive Prolanis members with high cholesterol levels.

Optimizing the Role of Posyandu and Posbindo Cadres in Alleviating Stunting and Preventing Non-Communicable Diseases in Pacar Kembang Village, Surabaya

Suhariyadi Suhariyadi — 2026-06-30

Stunting, a significant health problem in Indonesia, must be addressed. Stunting is defined as a condition caused by inadequate nutritional intake that does not meet nutritional needs. Integrated Service Posts (Posyandu) are a way to provide health services to the community and have the ability to develop resources, especially in health matters. The methods used in this community service activity are lecture/presentation and discussion and question and answer methods. The lecture activities included presenting material on the importance of balanced nutrition during the first 1000 days of life (HPK), explaining the role of cadres in providing simple counseling to the community, facilitating discussions and question-and-answer sessions, and concluding the session. Overall, the implemented activities showcase the active participation of both the cadres and the community. These results serve as the basis for implementing further activities in the form of monitoring, evaluation, and more targeted health interventions.

Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health Literacy through Community-Based Health Screening and Education in Rural East Java

Teresia Retna Puspitadewi,S.Kep,Ns,M.Kes — 2026-07-02

Adolescents are an age group that is prone to health problems such as anemia, impaired nutritional status, premature hypertension, and the risk of metabolic disorders due to lifestyle changes. In addition, low reproductive health literacy increases the risk of risky behaviors and long-term health problems. This community service activity aims to identify adolescent health conditions through integrated screening and increase reproductive health knowledge through a community-based approach. The methods used include blood pressure, hemoglobin, hematocrit, blood glucose, Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement, and interactive counseling on reproductive health. The activity was attended by 17 teenagers from Mrican Village. The screening results showed that 17.7% of adolescents were in the prehypertensive category, 17.7% had poor nutritional status based on BMI, and 17.7% had high blood glucose levels. As many as 11.8% of adolescents had low hemoglobin levels, while 29.4% showed low hematocrit levels. Educational evaluation showed that 88.2% of participants obtained perfect scores on the reproductive health post-test. This activity is able to provide an overview of adolescents' health conditions through health screening while increasing their knowledge about reproductive health. In addition, the findings of health risk factors in some adolescents are also an important basis for follow-up efforts in the form of health education, monitoring nutritional status, and fostering healthy living behaviors in adolescents in the community.

Android-Assisted Cardiovascular Education and Risk Screening to Improve Coronary Heart Disease Literacy in Primary Care: A One-Group Pre–Post Community Intervention in Indonesia

Sari Luthfiyah — 2026-06-30

Coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention in primary care is constrained by limited consultation time, uneven health literacy, and insufficient reinforcement after one-off education. This community service program evaluated a hybrid intervention combining clinician-led education, guided Android application use, and self-risk screening. The program was delivered at Candi Primary Health Center, Sidoarjo, Indonesia, on 9 June 2026 using a one-group pre-test–post-test design. Community members were recruited consecutively; paired analysis included participants who attended the intervention and completed matchable pre- and post-tests. The intervention comprised baseline assessment, structured CHD education, application demonstration, hands-on practice, and immediate post-test. Knowledge was assessed with an expert-reviewed 20-item true–false questionnaire scored from 0 to 100. Approximately 60 electronic entries were screened; after duplicate and incomplete records were removed, 13 valid paired observations remained. The mean knowledge score changed from 63.50 ± 12.05 (pre-test) to 97.00 ± 4.62 (post-test), with an absolute change of 33.50 points (95% CI: 30.09–36.91), p < 0.001, and a large effect size (Cohen’s dz = 2.54). Application access, screening completion, and assistance needs were 54 (90%), 60 (100%), and not formally assessed in the dataset, respectively. The hybrid intervention was feasible under supervised conditions and was associated with an immediate improvement in CHD literacy. However, the small uncontrolled sample, immediate outcome assessment, and absence of longitudinal usage data preclude conclusions about sustained behavior change. Integration into routine non-communicable disease education should be accompanied by cadre training, user support, and longer-term evaluation.

Telemedicine-Enabled Bedside Monitoring System for Low-Birth-Weight Infants: Strengthening Primary Healthcare Resilience and Family-Centered Neonatal Care in Indonesia

Sari Luthfiyah — 2026-07-02

Low Birth Weight (LBW) remains a critical neonatal health problem due to its strong association with increased morbidity and mortality risks, requiring continuous and accurate physiological monitoring. This community service program aimed to implement a telemedicine-based bedside monitoring system at Gedangan Community Health Center, Sidoarjo Regency, to improve neonatal care services and strengthen health worker capacity in managing LBW infants. The intervention addressed key challenges, including limited access to real-time monitoring data, insufficient technological integration in primary care settings, and the need for improved technical competence among health workers.

The method employed a structured community engagement approach consisting of counseling, training, demonstration, re-demonstration, and continuous mentoring. Thirty health workers, including nurses, midwives, and electromedical personnel, participated in the program conducted over two days. Evaluation was performed through direct oral questioning and structured practical observation during device operation and simulation activities.

The results indicated a significant improvement in participants’ knowledge and skills, with an increase in understanding of neonatal monitoring concepts and telemedicine application. Participants demonstrated improved ability to operate the bedside monitor, interpret vital sign parameters, and apply standard operating procedures. However, post-implementation evaluation revealed partial non-compliance with SOPs in device operation, maintenance, and repair, highlighting the need for continuous training and supervision. The telemedicine system successfully enabled real-time transmission of neonatal physiological data, improving accessibility for both health workers and families.

In conclusion, the implementation of a telemedicine-based bedside monitoring system effectively enhanced the capacity of primary healthcare services for LBW infants. Continuous mentoring, infrastructure support, and periodic training are essential to ensure sustainability and optimal utilization of the technology in neonatal care.

Improving the Digital Marketing Capacity of MSME Actors through Practice-Based Marketplace Training in Balongdowo Village, Sidoarjo, Indonesia

Triwiyanto Triwiyanto — 2026-06-30

Digital marketing support for micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) is often delivered as uniform training, even though participants differ substantially in their baseline capabilities. This community-based program evaluation mapped the digital readiness of MSME actors in Balongdowo Village, Sidoarjo, Indonesia, and translated the findings into a staged marketplace-assistance strategy. The study was embedded in the 2026 Community Partnership Program entitled “Optimalisasi Transformasi Digital UMKM di Desa Balongdowo: Peningkatan Kapasitas, Inovasi Produk, dan Akses Pasar,” implemented by Poltekkes Kemenkes Surabaya with the Balongdowo Village Government from May to October 2026. The core seminar and marketplace workshop was held on 10 June 2026 and included registration and baseline assessment, practical digital-marketing instruction, marketplace demonstration, hands-on product-content practice, discussion, post-test administration, and follow-up mentoring. Anonymized baseline participant records were analyzed descriptively using frequencies, percentages, and measures of central tendency and dispersion. Thirty-three participants were included. Their mean age was 38.8 years (SD 10.9; range 24-60), 63.6% were women, and 63.6% operated food businesses. Monthly business income was below IDR 2 million for 90.9% of participants. Although 45.5% reported operating an online business, only 36.4% had a commercial account or platform presence; 18.2% used Shopee, 9.1% used TikTok, and 9.1% reported an affiliate-oriented account. Only 18.2% reported business or platform affiliation. The findings demonstrate progressive attrition from online presence to platform formalization and network embeddedness. A presence-platform-network continuum is therefore proposed to tailor assistance: foundational account creation and digital safety for non-users, structured storefront and transaction-management support for informal online sellers, and content, promotion, affiliate, and peer-mentor strategies for platform-active participants. Because participant-linked pre-post scores and longitudinal platform outcomes were not available, no claim of training effectiveness is made