Journal Of The Indonesian Medical Association

Alzheimer's Dementia Therapy Update: Between Clinical Evidence and Controversy

Anastasia Ezragitha Soligaon Pasaribu, Melya Arianti Umbul — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:25:59 +0700

Alzheimer's dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of β-amyloid and tau, leading to cognitive decline. ¹ The incidence of Alzheimer's dementia worldwide is increasing rapidly and is currently estimated to approach 46.8 million or 50 million people diagnosed with dementia worldwide, with 20.9 million in the Asia Pacific region, with approximately 10 million new cases occurring annually. ¹ In Indonesia, an estimated 1.2 million people were diagnosed with dementia in 2016, with this number expected to increase to 2 million in 2030 and 4 million in 2050.¹

The Effect of Animation-Based Educational Media on Increasing Health Cadres’ Knowledge of Anemia in Pregnant Women

Adelia Pratiwi, Andra Novitasari, Nina Anggraeni Noviasari, Susilo Budi Pratama — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:34:13 +0700

Introduction: Anemia in pregnant women is a serious public health problem that increases the risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Prevention requires the active role of community health cadres; however, limited knowledge and skills remain major challenges. In the Bandarharjo Primary Health Care area, most
volunteers are aged 46–55 years, have long service periods, and are predominantly unemployed, indicating that conventional education methods may be less effective. Animated video media that combine visual and audio elements are considered more communicative and easier to understand. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an animated video in improving health cadres’ knowledge of anemia in pregnant women.
Methods: This quantitative pre-experimental study used a one-group pretest–posttest design involving 49 active health volunteers selected through total sampling. The intervention consisted of an animated video developed using Canva with a duration of 4 minutes and 41 seconds. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis and
the Wilcoxon test.
Results: The mean knowledge score increased significantly from 56.87 ± 13.008 to 78.30 ± 15.680 (p less than 0.05).
Conclusion: Animated video media are effective in improving health volunteers’ knowledge of anemia in pregnant women.

The Correlation between Maternal Anemia with the Incidence of Low Birth Weight (LBW) Babies at Waled Hospital in 2018 - 2021

Defa Rahmatun Nisaa, Wiranti Permata Dewi, Nunung Nurbaniwati — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:31:53 +0700

Introduction: The incidence of LBW babies, namely less than 2500 grams, is one of the main factors that can affect neonatal death, postneonatal death and morbidity in infants. Several factors affect LBW including anemia. Anemia is a condition of pregnant women who have hemoglobin levels less than 11 gr/dl which can be a risk for giving birth to low birth weight babies due to lack of blood supply to the placenta which will affect the function of the placenta to the fetus. Mothers with anemia are also at risk of experiencing bleeding before and during delivery, it can even cause the death of the mother and her baby if the mother is anemic. The aim of this research is to analyze the relationship between anemia and the incidence of LBW babies in pregnant women at Waled Hospital in 2018–2021.
Method: This research is an observational study using the cross sectional method with a sample of 247 respondents. Researchers used secondary data with univariate analysis, and bivariate analysis using the Spearman correlation test.
Result: The researchers obtained a percentage of 50.2% of pregnant women with a history of anemia who had LBW babies and 49.8% of pregnant women who did not have LBW. The relationship between anemia and LBW has a significant relationship (p=0.000, rs=0.321).
Conclusion: There is a relationship between Anemia and the incidence of LBW babies in pregnant women at Waled Hospital in 2018–2021.

Comparison of Standard Programs with and without Programmed Proper Body Mechanics on Pain and Functional Function in Obese Patient with Mechanical Low Back Pain

Putri Paramita Sakti, Tirza Z. Tamin, Jull Kurniarobbi — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:29:22 +0700

Introduction: Mechanical Low Back Pain (mLBP) is a common issue linked to obesity. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Proper Body Mechanics Program in managing pain and enhancing functional ability in obese patients with mLBP.
Method: Single-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted three times a week for six weeks. Thirty eligible participants at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital were divided into two groups: the intervention group (14 subjects) received the Proper Body Mechanics Program in addition to a standard treatment plan including diet education, aerobic exercise, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and William flexion exercise, while the control group (16 subjects) only received a standard treatment plan.
Result: Results showed a significant reduction in pain levels as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (p=0.011) after six weeks; however, no significant difference was found in functional ability scores (p=0.976).
Conclusion: While pain and functional ability improved in each group, the study indicates that the Proper Body Mechanics Program significantly reduces pain when added to standard Williams Flexion Exercises. Although the improvement in functional ability was not statistically significant, the intervention group showed higher overall functional improvement after six weeks.

Two Decades Survey of Antibiotics Prescription and Usage in Community

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:30:05 +0700

Introduction: Irrational antibiotic use in pediatric populations remains a significant challenge in Indonesia, contributing to antibiotic resistance. Despite interventions and public awareness campaigns, inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and self-medication persist among patients, healthcare providers, and pharmacies. This study aims to identify trends, challenges, and potential solutions for promoting rational antibiotic use in Indonesia.
Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 11 unpublished survey studies by YOP related to antibiotic use in pediatric populations and healthcare practices in Indonesia from 2004 to 2023. Data sources included prescription surveys (2004-2012), community perception surveys (2014-2023), and healthcare provider assessments (2010-2013). Prescription patterns, antibiotic perceptions, and dispensing practices were analyzed.
Results: The public surveys over two decades show a decline in the behavior of buying antibiotics without a prescription (from 91% to 23%), while the prescribing of antibiotics for colds and coughs remains high and unchanged (around 68-79%). Pharmacy assessments found that 85% of pharmacies dispensed antibiotics without a prescription and 43% advised antibiotics for URTI.
Conclusion: Misconceptions about antibiotics, lack of stringent regulations on antibiotic sales, and continued overprescription by healthcare providers are the key factors of irrational antibiotic usage in pediatric population in Indonesia.

Generalized Pustular Psoriasis Showing Improvement with Corticosteroid Therapy: Case Report

T. Ibnu Alferraly, Arie Widiansyah Hasibuan, Devi Nafilah Yuzar — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:30:54 +0700

Introduction: Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare, acute inflammatory and potentially life-threatening variant of psoriasis, characterized by widespread sterile pustular eruptions on an erythematous base, often accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever, malaise, and leukocytosis. GPP differs from chronic plaque psoriasis due to dysregulation of the IL-36 pathway and IL36RN mutations, classifying it as an autoinflammatory keratinization disease, which poses significant therapeutic challenges, especially in settings with limited healthcare resources and restricted access to biologic agents.
Case Report: A 43-year-old man presented with high fever, severe skin pain, and widespread pustules coalescing into “lakes of pus.” Histopathological examination revealed orthokeratosis, parakeratosis, regular acanthosis, thinning of the suprapapillary plate, Munro microabscesses, and Kogoj’s spongiform pustules. Case Discussion: A diagnosis of Von Zumbusch-type GPP was established based on clinical and histopathological findings. Although biologic agents are the first- line treatment according to current guidelines, short-term systemic corticosteroids remain an important option in resource-limited settings. The patient responded well to intravenous methylprednisolone and topical corticosteroids, with significant reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and no relapse during eight weeks of follow-up.
Conclusion: This case underscores the feasibility of achieving remission in generalized pustular psoriasis using conventional systemic corticosteroids under close monitoring, particularly in resource-limited settings where access to biologic agents may be restricted.

Filling Procedures of Headache Diary as a Tool for the Monitoring and Diagnosis of Headache Disorders: A Literature Review

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Headache diary is an important tool for improving the diagnostic accuracy and clinical monitoring of headache disorders, particularly in conditions with variable or chronic patterns such as migraine. In the absence of a gold-standard diagnostic test, prospective documentation helps reduce recall bias and supports classification based on ICHD-3 criteria. This narrative review summarizes the evidence on the use of paper headache diaries (PHD) and electronic headache diaries (EHD) in clinical practice. Various studies demonstrate that both formats enhance diagnostic precision, facilitate identification of triggers and attack patterns, and support evaluation of abortive and prophylactic therapies. EHD provides additional advantages through automated time-stamping, graphical trend visualization, and easier longitudinal analysis, although its use may be limited by device availability and digital literacy. Evidence from local and international studies consistently highlights the value of headache diaries across primary, secondary, and tertiary care settings. Overall, headache diaries remain practical, effective instruments that should be integrated into routine clinical management of headache disorders.