Implementation of Collaborative Practices and Health Teamwork in Community Health Education for Non-Communicable Diseases

FIKES UPNVJ - This health counseling activity is a form of collaboration between study programs at the Faculty of Health Sciences UPN "Veteran" Jakarta consisting of Public Health, Nursing, Nutrition, and Physiotherapy students who are members of Group 1B. The health counseling with the theme "Time to Act SMART to Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases" was held on December 5, 2024 at Jalan Pinang Dua RT.01/RW.15, Limo Village, Limo District, Depok City.

This health counseling is important to increase public awareness and knowledge about the prevention and early treatment of Non-Communicable Diseases, especially Hypertension, considering the large number of hypertension sufferers in the area. By providing comprehensive education that allows the public to understand, recognize symptoms, and apply a healthy lifestyle independently to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases.

This counseling activity focuses on the prevention and treatment of hypertension, one of the non-communicable diseases (PTM) that is widely found in the community. In this activity, participants are given material related to the definition of hypertension, causes, symptoms, and classification. In addition, education was also provided on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, such as the role of physical exercise, healthy eating patterns, and how to read food labels properly and correctly to avoid excessive consumption of salt, sugar, and fat. The speakers in this activity involved five student representatives from each study program at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta, including Nursing, Physiotherapy, Public Health, and Nutrition. This counseling activity consisted of 22 students from various study programs who served as the committee, as well as a Supervisor, namely Ns. Cut Sarida Pompey, S.Kep., M.N.S. In addition, this activity was also attended by 22 participants aged 40-60 years, namely the age group that has a higher risk of hypertension.

This health counseling provides many benefits for participants, especially in increasing their knowledge about the prevention and early treatment of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), especially hypertension. Participants are invited to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle, such as maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding risky habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption. In addition, this counseling also provides participants with the ability to detect early symptoms of hypertension and the steps that need to be taken. With this knowledge, participants are expected to feel more confident in maintaining their health and taking the necessary actions independently.

The expected positive impact of this activity is a reduction in hypertension cases in the area through the implementation of a healthy lifestyle by the community. In addition, people who have participated in the counseling are expected to be able to recognize symptoms of the disease earlier and independently take appropriate preventive or treatment steps. The success of this activity is also expected to create a healthier and more caring community, where participants can become agents of change by disseminating the information they obtain to their families and the surrounding environment. Thus, this counseling is a significant initial step in building a healthier community that is free from the risk of non-communicable diseases.

The community showed high enthusiasm for health counseling activities and free health checks, such as blood pressure (tension) and blood sugar checks. This enthusiasm can be seen from the positive response received by group members when conducting door-to-door socialization to inform about the activity. Residents who had received information immediately came to the activity location to participate. In addition, residents participated in a series of activities with enthusiasm, from counseling to health check sessions. They also actively asked questions and participated seriously in completing the pretest and posttest. This shows their awareness and concern for the importance of health.

Based on the material from this counseling which raised the topic of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) which focused on hypertension, where hypertension is often called a "silent killer" because it is often asymptomatic but has a fatal risk. Prevention through a healthy lifestyle, such as reducing salt, exercising regularly, and checking blood pressure regularly are simple steps to maintain health. Through this collaboration, we not only share knowledge but also create real change in society. This counseling activity left a very positive impression, both for participants and organizers.

The high enthusiasm of the community, from active participation in educational sessions to free health checks, is proof of the success of this program. In addition to raising awareness about preventing non-communicable diseases, this activity also creates a healthier and more supportive community. This counseling is not only an initial step in efforts to reduce the prevalence of hypertension, but also inspires residents to continue to live a healthy lifestyle independently.