Abstract
Background: It is widely believed that poverty is a significant factor in causing stunting, and parental habits can also play a role. In this context, households with employed mothers are often suspected of increasing the risk of stunting in children. This study aims to examine the role of maternal employment status in stunted children among low-income families in Indonesia.
Study Design: A cross-sectional analysis.
Methods: We examined 47,021 children. The study used the children’s nutritional health as the outcome variable and maternal work status as the exposure variable. We examined seven control variables: residence type, mother's age, marital status, education level, antenatal care (ANC), child age, and sex. For the final phase, we employed a binary logistic regression analysis, ensuring the validity and reliability of our results.
Results: 19.0% of Indonesian children under two from low-income households experience stunted growth. Meanwhile, 23.5% of mothers were employed in low-income homes. Regarding nutritional status, the study informs that employed mothers have stunted kids, which is slightly higher than that of unemployed mothers. The study's key revelation is that unemployed mothers were 1.022 times more likely than employed mothers to have stunted kids (95% CI 1.015-1.030), underscoring the crucial role of maternal employment in child nutrition.
Conclusion: Maternal employment status had a role in stunted children among low-income families. Unemployed mothers were a risk factor for having stunted children. Empowering unemployed mothers through job opportunities, financial support, and access to childcare and nutrition programs can help reduce child stunting in low-income families.