Ayesha Uswatun Hasanah, Erni Ameliya, Rangga Aditya Pratama, Putri Wahiddatus Sa’diyah, Nurul Ma’rifa Ramadani, Zalfa Rania Muyassarah, Muhammad Sultan

TERAS LANSIA: Interactive Education and Use of Herbal Drinks for Hypertension Management

Introduction

Teras lansia: interactive education and use of herbal drinks for hypertension management. Tingkatkan literasi & keterampilan lansia mengelola hipertensi melalui edukasi interaktif dan demonstrasi minuman herbal. TERAS LANSIA efektif tingkatkan kesehatan.

Abstract

Background : Hypertension is a common non-communicable disease among the elderly, but it often goes undetected early due to lack of knowledge and adherence to treatment. This community service program aims to improve the elderly's understanding and skills in self- managing hypertension through an educational and demonstrative approach. The activity was carried out at the Kenanga 2 Integrated Service Post (Posyandu), Loa Pari Village, involving 52 elderly participants. The implementation method included elderly exercise, blood pressure and BMI checks, a pre-test, interactive counseling on hypertension and drug myths, and a demonstration of making herbal drinks from local ingredients such as ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon, honey, and cucumber. Evaluation was carried out through a post-test and direct observation of participants' practice. The results showed an increase in participants' knowledge scores from a pre-test average of 79.22 to 93.45 in the post-test, with a paired t-test result of p = 0.011. This activity demonstrates that educational and practical interventions can improve elderly health literacy and serve as an additional strategy in sustainable hypertension control. Objective : This community service program aims to improve the elderly's understanding and skills in managing hypertension independently through an educational and demonstrative approach. Research Methods/ Implementation Methods : During the implementation phase, the elderly first took a pre-test in the form of true or false questions using interactive red and blue paper media. The pre-test was conducted in a structured manner and guided by a facilitator to make it easier for the elderly to understand. Then, a health check is carried out by health workers to determine the current health condition of the elderly, especially those who are at risk of hypertension. This stage also provided important information to the elderly about the need to monitor their blood pressure regularly. After the examination, a health education session on hypertension was held, with information delivered interactively by health experts using visual aids and language that was easy to understand. The counseling covers the definition of hypertension, normal and high blood pressure limits, the causes of hypertension, the dangers and symptoms of hypertension, as well as its treatment and management. In addition, the counseling also covers the types of hypertension medications and their effects and side effects, myths and facts about hypertension medications, the benefits of taking medication regularly, and strategies for establishing a medication routine. Furthermore, the elderly participated in a demonstration on making herbal drinks using natural ingredients such as ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon, and honey, as well as cucumber and honey. This demonstration was conducted with the aim of introducing healthy beverage options that can be consumed regularly by the elderly to help control blood pressure. From this activity, the elderly are expected to be able to imitate and apply it themselves at home.

Review

The community service program, "TERAS LANSIA," presents a commendable initiative addressing the critical issue of hypertension management among the elderly. The program's objective to enhance understanding and self-management skills through an educational and demonstrative approach is highly relevant, given the prevalence of undetected hypertension and lack of adherence to treatment in this demographic. The methodology employed is particularly strong, incorporating a holistic approach that includes elderly exercise, vital health checks, interactive counseling on hypertension and medication myths, and practical demonstrations of preparing herbal drinks from local ingredients. The use of engaging tools like red and blue paper for pre-tests and simplified language for education significantly enhances accessibility for elderly participants. The reported increase in knowledge scores, from an average of 79.22 to 93.45 with a statistically significant p-value of 0.011, provides clear evidence of the program's immediate success in improving health literacy. While the program successfully demonstrated an improvement in participants' knowledge, the abstract's scope is primarily limited to this cognitive outcome. There is no clear indication or measurement of subsequent behavioral changes, such as sustained adoption of healthy practices, regular self-monitoring, or improved adherence to prescribed medication. Furthermore, while the demonstration of herbal drinks is an interesting component, the abstract does not provide any empirical evidence or specific references to validate the efficacy of these particular herbal combinations (ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon, honey, cucumber) in *directly* contributing to blood pressure control within the context of this intervention. The evaluation method, while including a post-test and "direct observation of participants' practice," lacks detail on how practice was measured or if these practices were sustained beyond the program's immediate timeframe. A significant area for future enhancement would be to incorporate long-term follow-up to assess the durability of knowledge, actual behavioral modifications, and, most crucially, any measurable impact on participants' blood pressure levels. Overall, "TERAS LANSIA" serves as a valuable and well-executed community service program that effectively enhances health literacy regarding hypertension among the elderly. Its interactive and practical design makes it a promising model for similar interventions aimed at empowering vulnerable populations. To further strengthen its impact and scientific contribution, future iterations or related research should consider expanding the evaluation framework to include objective clinical outcomes, such as changes in blood pressure readings, and validated measures of long-term adherence to self-management strategies. Investigating the specific efficacy and safety profile of the proposed herbal interventions within a controlled setting would also add significant value. This program lays excellent groundwork, demonstrating that educational and practical interventions can indeed improve health knowledge and serve as a vital "additional strategy" in sustainable hypertension control, provided its long-term behavioral and clinical impacts are rigorously assessed.

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