Abstract
Background: Stunting remains a major public health problem among children under five years of age, particularly in developing countries. Maternal factors and poor environmental sanitation contribute significantly to impaired child growth and chronic malnutrition.
Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the association between maternal factors and environmental sanitation with stunting among children aged 24-59 months in Jombang Regency, Indonesia.
Methods: This study employed a quantitative analytical observational design with a cross-sectional approach. The study was conducted in 20 stunting locus villages in Jombang from June to July 2025. A total of 166 mother–toddler pairs were selected using proportional random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, household sanitation observations, and anthropometric measurements. Data analysis included univariate, bivariate using chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression analyses with a significance level of p < 0.05.
Results: Maternal education was significantly associated with stunting prevalence (p = 0.000). Most stunted toddlers were cared for by mothers with basic education levels (50.6%), whereas non-stunted toddlers were mostly cared for by mothers with higher education levels (47.0%). Environmental sanitation and clean water quality were also significantly associated with stunting (p = 0.000). Multivariate analysis showed that maternal education (AOR = 16.977; 95%CI = 2.55–113.00; = p = 0.003), environmental sanitation (AOR = 6.977; 95%CI = 1.08–45.10; p = 0.003), and clean water quality (AOR = 4.198; 95%CI = 1.58–11.17; p = 0.004) were factors significantly associated with stunting.
Conclusion: Maternal education, environmental sanitation, and clean water quality were significantly associated with stunting among toddlers. Integrated interventions focusing on maternal education, sanitation improvement, and access to safe water are essential to reduce stunting prevalence.