ABSTRACT

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND THE INCIDENCE OF DEHYDRATION AMONG TODDLERS WITH DIARRHEA IN THE SERVICE AREA OF THE PULUNG COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
Faculty of Health Sciences, Muhammadiyah University of Ponorogo

E-mail: avrillialia02@gmail.com

Nutritional status is an important indicator of health and growth in toddlers. Toddlers with poor nutritional status have lower immunity, making them more susceptible to diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration. The continued presence of toddlers with poor nutritional status and cases of dehydration among toddlers with diarrhea in the Pulung Community Health Center’s service area served as the basis for this study.

The study aimed to analyze the relationship between nutritional status and the incidence of dehydration in infants with diarrhea in the Pulung Community Health Center (Puskesmas) service area. This was an analytical observational study using a retrospective cohort approach. Data were obtained from the medical records of toddlers with diarrhea from January to December 2024–2025 using total sampling, involving a total of 230 toddlers. Data analysis was performed using the Spearman's rank correlation test.

The results of the study showed that 20.9% of toddlers were severely malnourished, 14.3% were malnourished, 32.2% were mildly dehydrated, and 29.1% were severely dehydrated. The results of the Spearman’s rank correlation test showed a correlation coefficient (rₛ) = -0.643 with a p-value = 0.000 (α ≤ 0.05), indicating a significant, strong, and negative relationship between nutritional status and the incidence of dehydration in toddlers with diarrhea.

The lower a toddler’s nutritional status, the higher the risk of severe dehydration during diarrhea. Therefore, monitoring and improving nutritional status must be an essential part of efforts to prevent dehydration in toddlers with diarrhea.

Keywords: Nutritional Status, Dehydration, Diarrhea, Toddlers, Retrospective Cohort Study