Education on the Importance of Consuming Folic Acid and Iron to Prevent Anemia and Hemoglobin Tests for Women of Childbearing Age and Pre-Elderly Women at the Tobe Institute

Abstract

Anemia is a common nutritional problem worldwide. It is a common nutritional problem worldwide, with the most at-risk groups being school children and women of childbearing age (WUS) (Nurwahidah, 2018). Anemia is characterized by lower-than-normal hemoglobin levels in red blood cells. Adolescent girls are considered anemic if their hemoglobin levels are less than 12 g/dl. Lack of iron and folic acid intake is one of the main causes of the high risk of anemia in women of childbearing age. This community service activity aims to increase the knowledge of adolescent girls and WUS regarding the importance of consuming iron and folic acid to prevent anemia, while also conducting hemoglobin (Hb) tests for early detection. The program was implemented at the TOBE Institute with 32 participants. This activity had five stages: pre-test, interactive education, nutritional status and Hb level examination, and post-test. The results showed that 50% of participants had normal nutritional status, 40.6% were overweight, and 9.4% were underweight. As many as 43.8% of participants were detected as anemic with an average Hb of 12.4 g/dL. There was a significant increase in participant knowledge (p-value 0.000), from an average pre-test score of 76.44 to a post-test score of 91.38. This program was effective in increasing nutritional awareness, encouraging routine Hb checks, and serving as a viable educational model to reduce the risk of anemia among women of childbearing age (WUS) and pre-elderly.