On Wednesday, January 8, 2025, the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) at the Universitas Indonesia (UI) held an open session for the Doctoral Promotion of Public Health Sciences (IKM) with candidate Rooswati Soeharno. The session, which took place in the FPH UI Doctoral Promotion Room, saw Rooswati defend her dissertation titled “Determinants of Neonatal Health Outcomes in Indonesia: A Multilevel and Spatial Analysis of the 18 National Surveys Data.”
The Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) in Indonesia reached 12.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 and decreased to 11.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021. Despite the decline in mortality and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target for 2030, Indonesia’s NMR remains high, ranking 8th in the world. This presents a particular challenge for the vision of “Golden Indonesia 2045,” especially due to the existing gaps in healthcare services and socio-economic disparities.
In response to these issues, Rooswati’s research was conducted to provide deeper insights into improving neonatal health and reducing health inequalities in Indonesia.
Rooswati’s research addresses the critical issue of neonatal mortality, which remains a public health challenge despite Indonesia achieving the SDGs target for 2030. Her findings highlight the impact of socio-economic disparities, geographic variation, and systemic gaps in healthcare quality. Using multilevel and spatial regression analysis techniques, Rooswati emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to strengthen the health system across all aspects, particularly in Indonesia’s era of decentralization.
The research integrated quantitative methods to explore health determinants at the individual, household, community, and district levels, using national survey data from 2018, covering 34 provinces, 513 districts, and 300,000 households, resulting in analysis of 73,086 births. The study applied multilevel and spatial regression approaches to assess factors at the individual, household, and community levels, while also reviewing policies aligned with the pillars of the health system.
Some of the key findings from Rooswati’s research include:
- The high neonatal mortality rate is influenced by low birth weight, premature births, and unequal access to maternal healthcare services.
- Socio-economic and regional disparities exacerbate health inequalities, particularly in rural, remote, border, and island areas.
- Recommendations to strengthen the health system through evidence-based planning, equitable resource allocation, and region-specific interventions.
Rooswati’s dissertation aligns with the vision of “Golden Indonesia 2045” by providing actionable strategies for policymakers to address systemic inequalities and improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Her research emphasizes the importance of strengthening infrastructure, ensuring high-quality healthcare services, and addressing social determinants of health.
With over 28 years of experience in public health policy, health system strengthening, and emergency response, as well as working with various international organizations, Rooswati is committed to continuing her contributions to evidence-based policy development and innovative programs that strengthen health systems and reduce disparities, particularly for vulnerable groups in Indonesia.
“The candidate has raised a strategic topic, namely health outcomes for children. This is an extraordinary achievement for the candidate, and it should not stop here. There are still steps to take, one of the main ones being how the candidate can translate the empirical results into action. This will ensure that the government and the public who benefit from this research can understand and use it to the fullest,” said Prof. Budi Hidayat, S.K.M., M.P.P.M., Ph.D., the Promotor, in his opening remarks.
At the end of the session, the Chair of the committee announced the decision that Rooswati Soeharno successfully completed her doctoral promotion and earned a Doctoral degree in Public Health Sciences (IKM), as the 5th graduate of the 2024 Public Health Doctoral Program, the 344th graduate of the Public Health Doctoral Program, and the 445th Ph.D. graduate from FPH UI, with the distinction of “very satisfactory.”
The session was chaired by Prof. dr. Anhari Achadi, S.K.M., Sc.D., as the Chair, with Prof. Budi Hidayat, S.K.M., M.P.P.M., Ph.D. as Promotor, and Prof. dr. Amal Chalik Sjaaf, S.K.M., Dr.Ph., and Prof. dr. Purnawan Junadi, M.P.H., Ph.D. as Co-Promotors. The examining committee included Prof. dr. Endang L. Achadi, M.P.H., Dr.PH.; Dr. dr. Anung Sugihantono, M.Kes.; and Soewarta Kosen, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.PH. (ITM)