The Role of Community Health Volunteers in Enhancing Maternal Knowledge of Childhood Immunization: A Cross- Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Utilization of posyandu services in Indonesia has historically been suboptimal, influenced by parental perceptions that older children no longer require routine visits and by limited trust in the performance of community health volunteers. This condition may affect maternal knowledge regarding basic immunization, which is essential for preventing infectious diseases in early childhood.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the role of community health volunteers and mothers’ knowledge of basic immunization among children aged 0–3 years.

Methods: An analytic study with a cross-sectional approach was conducted among 30 mothers with children aged 0–3 years in Tamansari Village, Bondowoso, Indonesia. Respondents were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using the Spearman’s rho correlation test with a significance level of 0.05.

Results: The analysis showed a significant relationship between the role of community health volunteers and mothers’ knowledge (p = 0.03). The correlation coefficient (r = 0.379) indicated a moderate positive relationship, suggesting that better volunteer roles were associated with higher levels of maternal knowledge regarding immunization.

Conclusions: The role of community health volunteers was significantly associated with mothers’ knowledge of basic immunization. Strengthening the capacity and performance of volunteers may improve maternal knowledge and contribute to increased immunization coverage in community settings.