Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Melalui Edukasi Gaya Hidup Sehat untuk Pencegahan Kanker di Desa Ulee Tuy

Abstract

Globally, malignant neoplasms represent a primary contributor to the non-communicable disease burden and serve as a significant determinant of premature mortality. The increasing incidence of cancer is closely associated with various modifiable lifestyle risk factors, including unhealthy diet, smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity. Health promotion and preventive strategies through community-based education are essential to increase public awareness and encourage healthy behavioral changes. This outreach program was designed to foster better community understanding of cancer mitigation through the delivery of educational interventions centered on healthy living behaviors in Ulee Tuy Village, Aceh Besar. The activity employed an educational-participatory approach through health education sessions using interactive lectures and discussions. A total of 30 community members participated in the activity. The assessment of participant comprehension was facilitated through identical five-item pretest and posttest instruments. Findings indicate that the educational intervention significantly enhanced the participants' grasp of oncological risk factors and prophylactic health behaviors. Notably, a substantial majority of the cohort exhibited heightened awareness regarding the critical role of nutritional balance, consistent physical activity, and smoking cessation as primary cancer mitigation strategies. Consequently, community-based health education emerges as a robust mechanism for fostering public health consciousness, ultimately contributing to the advancement of collective well-being and socioeconomic productivity within rural populations.