Training Effect on Improving Cadres’ Knowledge and Skills of Obesity and Hypertension in Older People

Training Effect on Improving Cadres’ Knowledge and Skills of Obesity and Hypertension in Older People. Poor skill of cadres on nutritional status assessment in older people with disability should be increased. BMI (body mass index) Meter tool has been developed to predict the nutritional status of the elderly. Interpretation of the measurement results in the form of nutritional status i.e. underweight, normal, overweight, and obesity need to be followed up with preventive efforts. Most nutritional problems which faced by elderly are obesity and hypertension. Therefore, obesity and hypertension counseling training for cadres posbindu and community health center staff was needed. The aim of this study is to assess the training effect on knowledge and skills in counseling obese and hypertension of elderly related to results of nutritional status asseesment of elderly using BMI Meter. Quasi-experimental design used in the study towards 38 cadres from 21 posbindus and 7 community health centers’ staffs in Depok City. The study results showed that most respondents knew the function of BMI Meter was to measure the predicted height of elderly with physical limitations at post-test (90%). Majority respondents aged between 40-49 years (42.2%) graduated from high school/vocational school (46.7%). At post-training, knowledge score increased almost 15 points and knowledge score at pre-training had significant difference with post-training (p = 0.000). Respondents whose previous nutrition and health training had significant difference with knowledge (p = 0.002). It also supported by increase their ability to conduct obesity and hypertension campaigns for elderly during twice observation field visit. Almost all respondents were able to counsel well in the delivery of media content sistematically and in interesting way. It was concluded that knowledge and skills can be improved through training and post training retention.