ANALISIS PERILAKU ORANG TUA DALAM PEMANFAATAN INTERNET UNTUK PENCEGAHAN DAN PENANGANAN ISPA PADA BALITA

Background: Acute Respiratory Tract Infection (ARI) is one of the main causes of morbidity in toddlers in Indonesia, with a prevalence of 22.30%. The high incidence of ARI in toddlers indicates the need for optimal prevention and treatment efforts by parents. The development of digital technology encourages parents to utilize the internet as a source of health information, including regarding the prevention and treatment of ARI. However, inappropriate internet use can affect parental health behavior. Purpose: This study aimed to analyze parental behavior in utilizing the internet for the prevention and management of ARI in toddlers. Method: This study used a quantitative design with a cross-sectional approach. The study population was parents with toddlers in the working area of the Dinoyo Community Health Center in Malang City. The sampling technique used accidental sampling with a sample size of 135 respondents. The inclusion criteria in this study included parents with toddlers diagnosed with ARI, residing in the working area of the Dinoyo Community Health Center, owning a smartphone, and being willing to be respondents. The research instruments were an internet usage questionnaire and a parental behavior questionnaire covering aspects of knowledge, attitudes, and actions. Data analysis was performed using univariate and bivariate methods. Results: The results showed a relationship between internet utilization and parental behavior in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to the prevention and management of ARI in toddlers. Conclusion: Internet utilization plays a role in shaping parental behavior toward the prevention and management of ARI in toddlers. Therefore, education and guidance from health professionals are needed to support parents in using online health information wisely.