Digital Education: Healthy Lifestyle and Disease Prevention in Adolescents at Mulia Karya Husada Health Vocational School

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical transitional period that shapes lifelong health behaviors and risks. In the digital era, adolescents are increasingly exposed to sedentary lifestyles, fast-food consumption, and psychological pressures from social media. These conditions elevate the risk of obesity, non-communicable diseases, and mental health problems. Limited health literacy further increases adolescents’ vulnerability to inaccurate information. Therefore, digital-based education tailored to adolescents’ characteristics is urgently needed. This study aimed to improve adolescents’ knowledge regarding healthy lifestyles and disease prevention through a community service program at SMK Kesehatan Mulia Karya Husada. The implementation consisted of preparing instruments and educational video materials, delivering interactive health education, and conducting evaluations through pre- and post-tests. A total of 30 tenth-grade students participated in the program. The results showed a significant improvement in participants’ knowledge, with mean pre-test and post-test scores of 66.3 and 81.3, respectively (p < 0.001). Correlation analysis (r = 0.553; p = 0.002) indicated a moderately strong relationship between pre- and post-test scores. Participants’ responses toward the use of short educational videos were highly positive, with 53.3% agreeing and 46.7% strongly agreeing that the media was effective, engaging, and motivating for healthy behavior. In conclusion, digital-based health education effectively enhanced adolescents’ health literacy and can serve as a sustainable strategy to foster healthier and more productive future generations.