Community Empowerment in the Production and Utilization of Household Probiotics to Improve Digestive Health in Pakal Village, Surabaya

Abstract

Digestive health problems remain a significant public health concern in urban communities, including Pakal Village, Surabaya. These issues are closely associated with dietary patterns, lifestyle changes, and limited access to affordable functional foods that support gut health. Probiotics are widely recognized for their role in maintaining intestinal microbiota balance and improving digestive function. However, community knowledge and skills related to the production and utilization of probiotics at the household level are still limited. Therefore, community empowerment through locally based probiotic production is considered a strategic and sustainable health promotion effort.

This community service program aimed to empower residents of Pakal Village in the production and utilization of household probiotics to improve digestive health and promote independent healthy behavior. The program was implemented using a participatory community-based approach. The methods included health education through structured counseling sessions and interactive discussions, practical training on simple household probiotic production using locally available materials, and continuous mentoring. Evaluation of participants’ understanding was conducted using a pre-test and post-test questionnaire, supported by direct observation during the training activities.

The results showed a significant increase in participants’ knowledge and skills. Based on post-test evaluation of 100 participants, 95 individuals (95%) demonstrated good understanding of digestive health concepts and household probiotic utilization, while 5 individuals (5%) showed limited understanding. Participants were also able to independently produce household probiotics and apply them in their daily dietary practices. Increased awareness of preventive digestive health behavior and positive community participation were observed.

In conclusion, community empowerment through household probiotic production using education, hands-on training, and systematic evaluation is effective in improving digestive health knowledge, skills, and self-reliance. This model has strong potential to be replicated as a sustainable community-based health intervention.