The Effect of Local Wisdom on Maternal and Child Health

Authors

  • Ana Do Rosário De Jesus Leite National University of Timor Loro Sa'e
  • Joaquim Pinto National University of Timor Loro Sa'e
  • Carlos Boavida Tilman National University of Timor Loro Sa'e
  • Antonio Ximenes National University of Timor Loro Sa'e

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58812/wsis.v3i12.2533

Keywords:

Local Wisdom, Maternal Health, Child Health, Cultural Health Practices, Indonesia

Abstract

Maternal and child health remains a major public health concern, where health outcomes are shaped not only by medical and socioeconomic factors but also by sociocultural contexts. This study aims to examine the effect of local wisdom on maternal and child health using a quantitative approach. A total of 150 respondents were surveyed using a structured questionnaire measured on a five-point Likert scale. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, including descriptive statistics, validity and reliability tests, and simple linear regression analysis. The results indicate that local wisdom has a positive and statistically significant effect on maternal and child health (β = 0.683, p < 0.001). The coefficient of determination (R² = 0.386) shows that local wisdom explains 38.6% of the variation in maternal and child health outcomes. These findings suggest that culturally embedded values, beliefs, and community practices play an important role in shaping maternal and child health behaviors. Integrating local wisdom into maternal and child health programs can enhance community acceptance, strengthen preventive care, and improve health outcomes. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the inclusion of cultural dimensions in the formulation of maternal and child health policies.⁠

References

[1] K. Osaki et al., “Maternal and Child Health Handbook use for maternal and child care: a cluster randomized controlled study in rural Java, Indonesia,” J. Public Health (Bangkok)., vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 170–182, 2019.

[2] R. Agustina et al., “Universal health coverage in Indonesia: concept, progress, and challenges,” Lancet, vol. 393, no. 10166, pp. 75–102, 2019.

[3] C. V James, “Racial/ethnic health disparities among rural adults—United States, 2012–2015,” MMWR. Surveill. Summ., vol. 66, 2017.

[4] C. Betsch et al., “Improving medical decision making and health promotion through culture-sensitive health communication: an agenda for science and practice,” Med. Decis. Mak., vol. 36, no. 7, pp. 811–833, 2016.

[5] M. R. Effendi, E. Setiadi, and M. A. Nasir, “The Local Wisdom Based On Religious Values A Case Of Indigenous People In Indonesia,” Int. J. Humanit. Soc. Sci. Rev., 2020.

[6] E. Ejim, “A Qualitative Study Exploring the Prenatal Care Experiences of Pregnant and Postpartum Women in Arochukwu, Nigeria.” Walden University, 2025.

[7] M. J. Dutta, “Communicating about culture and health: Theorizing culture-centered and cultural sensitivity approaches,” Commun. Theory, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 304–328, 2007.

[8] A. Demaio, “Local wisdom and health promotion: barrier or catalyst?,” Asia Pacific J. Public Heal., vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 127–132, 2011.

[9] M. I. Sultan, “The Experiences of Women in Supporting Posyandu Programs as a Form of Community Health Empowerment in Urban Indonesia,” Servina J. Pengabdi. Kpd. Masy., vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 59–65, 2025.

[10] G. Wang, “The impact of social and economic indicators on maternal and child health,” Soc. Indic. Res., vol. 116, no. 3, pp. 935–957, 2014.

[11] S. Maggi, L. J. Irwin, A. Siddiqi, and C. Hertzman, “The social determinants of early child development: an overview,” J. Paediatr. Child Health, vol. 46, no. 11, pp. 627–635, 2010.

[12] A. Tohari, “The role of local wisdom in creating peace and social harmony in villages: cultural and traditional perspectives,” J. Konseling dan Pendidik., vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 316–325, 2025.

[13] D. A. G. Agung, A. M. Nasih, and B. Kurniawan, “Local wisdom as a model of interfaith communication in creating religious harmony in Indonesia,” Soc. Sci. Humanit. Open, vol. 9, p. 100827, 2024.

[14] A. Armawi and S. A. Limbongan, “The local-wisdom-based social capital for strengthening social resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.,” Masyarakat, Kebud. Polit., vol. 35, no. 4, 2022.

[15] K. Ashing-Giwa, “Health behavior change models and their socio-cultural relevance for breast cancer screening in African American women,” Women Health, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 53–71, 1999.

[16] N. A. Damayanti, R. D. Wulandari, and I. A. Ridlo, “Maternal health care utilization behavior, local wisdom, and associated factors among women in urban and rural areas, Indonesia,” Int. J. Womens. Health, pp. 665–677, 2023.

[17] J. Iwelunmor, V. Newsome, and C. O. Airhihenbuwa, “Framing the impact of culture on health: a systematic review of the PEN-3 cultural model and its application in public health research and interventions,” Ethn. Health, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 20–46, 2014.

[18] Z. Shewamene, T. Dune, and C. A. Smith, “Use of traditional and complementary medicine for maternal health and wellbeing by African migrant women in Australia: a mixed method study,” BMC Complement. Med. Ther., vol. 20, no. 1, p. 60, 2020.

[19] C. A. McHorney and J. A. Fleishman, “Assessing and understanding measurement equivalence in health outcome measures: issues for further quantitative and qualitative inquiry,” Med. Care, vol. 44, no. 11, pp. S205–S210, 2006.

[20] J. F. Pardosi, N. Parr, and S. Muhidin, “LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY LEADERS’PERSPECTIVES ON CHILD HEALTH AND MORTALITY AND INEQUITY ISSUES IN RURAL EASTERN INDONESIA,” J. Biosoc. Sci., vol. 49, no. 1, pp. 123–146, 2017.

[21] Sugiyono, Metode Penelitian Kuantitatif Kualitatif dan R&D. Bandung: Alfabeta, 2010.

[22] T. Greenhalgh et al., “Socio-cultural influences on the behaviour of South Asian women with diabetes in pregnancy: qualitative study using a multi-level theoretical approach,” BMC Med., vol. 13, no. 1, p. 120, 2015.

[23] A. Abubakar, A. Van Baar, R. Fischer, G. Bomu, J. K. Gona, and C. R. Newton, “Socio-cultural determinants of health-seeking behaviour on the Kenyan coast: a qualitative study,” PLoS One, vol. 8, no. 11, p. e71998, 2013.

Downloads

Published

2025-12-31

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 12 (2025): West Science Interdisciplinary Studies

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Ana Do Rosário De Jesus Leite, Joaquim Pinto, Carlos Boavida Tilman, Antonio Ximenes

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

The Effect of Local Wisdom on Maternal and Child Health (A. D. R. De Jesus Leite, J. . Pinto, C. B. . Tilman, & A. . Ximenes, Trans.). (2025). West Science Interdisciplinary Studies, 3(12), 2411-2418. https://doi.org/10.58812/wsis.v3i12.2533