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International Symposium of Public Health and International Conference of Epidemiology Public Health

COMMUNITY BELIEFS, HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOR, AND MALARIA AMONG THE ANAK DALAM INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IN JAMBI

Date Published : 15 September 2026

Contributors

Hubaybah

Universitas Airlangga
Author

Muji Sulistyowati

Universitas Airlangga
Author

Muhammad Rifqi Azhary

Universitas Jambi
Author

Herwansyah

Universitas Jambi
Author

Muldiasman

Universitas Jambi
Author

Nanda Agustian Simatupang

Universitas Indonesia
Author

Keywords

health belief health-seeking behavior kuro fever Suku Anak Dalam malaria.

Proceeding

(2026): PROCEEDING OF 9th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF PUBLIC HEALTH (ISOPH)

Track

General Track

License

Copyright (c) 2026 International Symposium of Public Health and International Conference of Epidemiology Public Health

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Background: Kuro fever (malaria) remains a health problem among the Suku Anak Dalam (SAD) community in Jambi Province. The persistence of the disease is closely related to local cultural beliefs and patterns of health-seeking behavior that influence treatment choices. This study aims to analyze the relationship between health beliefs, health-seeking behavior, and the incidence of kuro fever among the Suku Anak Dalam community. Method: A mixed-method study was conducted using a cross-sectional quantitative survey of 41 respondents and in-depth interviews with selected informants. Quantitative data were analyzed using Chi-square and logistic regression tests, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to explore the underlying beliefs and behaviors related to kuro fever. Result: Quantitative analysis showed that poor beliefs about disease causation and self-treatment or traditional remedies were significantly associated with higher incidence of kuro fever (p = 0.031 and p = 0.029, respectively). Respondents with poor health beliefs had a 5.88 times higher risk, and those practicing self-treatment had a 5.33 times higher risk of kuro fever compared to those seeking formal healthcare. Multivariate analysis identified health-seeking behavior as the most dominant factor (aOR = 3.82; p = 0.101), explaining 25.7% of the variation in kuro fever incidence. Qualitative findings revealed that kuro fever was often perceived as resulting from eating sweet fruits or overexertion, leading to reliance on traditional healing before accessing formal health services. Conclusion: Health beliefs and health-seeking behavior play a crucial role in determining kuro fever incidence among the Suku Anak Dalam. Effective malaria control efforts should incorporate culturally sensitive health education and community engagement strategies, involving traditional leaders and locally trusted health workers to harmonize traditional and modern medical practices.

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How to Cite

Hubaybah, H., Sulistyowati, M., Azhary, M. R., Herwansyah, H., Muldiasman, M., & Simatupang, N. A. (2026). COMMUNITY BELIEFS, HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOR, AND MALARIA AMONG THE ANAK DALAM INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IN JAMBI. International Symposium of Public Health and International Conference of Epidemiology Public Health, 12-23. https://e-conference.unair.ac.id/isoph/paper/view/1560