Use of Hybrid Methods in Improving Community Healthy Lifestyle Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia: Opportunities and Challenges

BACKGROUND: The COVID 19 pandemic is a challenge for public health services in Indonesia because various priority health services for diabetes prevention in the community have not been implemented. Diabetes risk factors such as obesity, lack of physical exercise, and eating fewer vegetables and/or fruit also increased. The SESAMA (Segitiga Kerjasama/Triangle of cooperation) model is a Diabetes control model whose implementation is carried out directly in the community but during the COVID-19 pandemic, it could not be fully implemented so the hybrid method became a modification of the implemented strategy. This study aims to find out whether the SESAMA model can be implemented using the hybrid method. METHODS: The study was conducted by a survey to all people aged > 18 years in 4 target villages, who participated in fasting blood glucose screening and body weight measurements. The survey produced a number of respondents who met the criteria for obesity with or without prediabetes and were given the SESAMA model of intervention.   RESULTS: There was a decrease in the number of people with prediabetes from 148 people to 105 people (29.05%). Prediabetes with obesity also experienced a reduction. From 108 people with prediabetes with grade 3 obesity, 14 people were reduced to 3 people (78.57%); for grade 2 as many as 12 people were reduced to 9 people (25%) and for grade 1 as many as 82 people increased to 83 people and normal weight increased from 40 people to 53 people. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the SESAMA Model for people with Prediabetes during the COVID-19 Pandemic which was carried out using the hybrid method showed a decrease in the proportion of people with prediabetes. The proportion of obesity in people with prediabetes has also decreased. The SESAMA model during a pandemic can be implemented using the hybrid method, by maintaining the application of strict health protocols and optimizing cooperation with various stakeholders in the community.