J-Kesmas: Jurnal Fakultas Kesehatan Masyarakat p-ISSN: 2355-0643, e-ISSN: 2355-0988 (The Indonesian Journal of Public Health) Vol. 10, No. 1, April, 2023 Available at http://jurnal.utu.ac.id/jkesmas Open Access RESEARCH ARTICLE 11 This article is licensed under CC BY- SA 4.0 License Exploring the Relationship Between Immunisation and Stunting: Understanding the Impact of Vaccinations on Child Growth and Development 1* Itza Mulyani, 2 Khairunnas Khairunnas, 3 Hanif Muchdatul Ayunda, 4 Teuku Muliadi, 5 Ahmad Syafiq, 6 Aripin Ahmad 1,2,3,4 Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Teuku Umar, Aceh, Indonesia 5 Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia 6 Departement of Nutrition and Center of Exellent for Community Nutrition and Disaster Emergency (CNDE), Health Polytechnic of Aceh, Aceh Besar 23352, Indonesia Corresponding author: Itza Mulyani, e-mail:itzamulyani@utu.ac.id Co-author :K: khairunnas@utu.ac.id, HMA: hanifmuchdatul@utu.ac.id, TM: teukumuliadi@utu.ac.id, AS: a- syafiq@ui.ac.id, AH: aripinahmad@poltekkesaceh@utu.ac.id Submitted:28/10/2022 Revised: 19/11/2022 Accepted: 20/02/2023 Published online: 18/04/2023 doi: https://doi.org/10.35308/j-kesmas.v7i2.1646 How to cite this article: Mulyani, I., Khairunnas., Ayunda., H.M., Muliadi, T., Syafiq, A., & Ahmad., A. (2023). Exploring the Relationship Between Immunisation and Stunting: Understanding the Impact of Vaccinations on Child Growth and Development. J-Kesmas: Jurnal Fakultas Kesehatan Masyarakat (The Indonesian Journal of Public Health). 10(1): 11-14 Abstract The study aimed to investigate the relationship between stunting and immunisation completeness among children under five years old in Indonesia. The study used a cross-sectional design with a quantitative approach, utilising secondary data from the Indonesian Family Life Study (IFLS) V big data in 2014. The sample consisted of children aged 12-59 months from 13 provinces in Indonesia, representing 83% of the total population. Data were analysed using SPSS and STATA programs. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the association between immunisation status and stunting. The results showed a significant statistical relationship (p-value <0.05) between immunisation status and stunting occurrence among children aged 12-59 months in Indonesia, with a p-value of 0.001 and a PR value of 1.2 (95% CI: 1.14-1.6). Children who receive incomplete immunisation have a 1.2 times greater risk of stunting than those who receive complete immunisation. The study concluded that immunisation completeness is associated with checking among children under five years old in Indonesia. Therefore, it is essential to ensure full immunisation coverage to prevent stunting in this population. Keywords: Stunting; Completeness of immunisation; Children; Cross-sectional design; Indonesia Introduction Immunisation and stunting are two critical issues in child health and development. Immunisation is a preventive measure that protects children from vaccine- preventable diseases, while stunting is a condition characterised by impaired growth and development due to malnutrition (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). The relationship between immunisation and stunting has been explored in various studies, with some suggesting a positive association between vaccination coverage and child growth (Khan et al., 2021), while others indicate no significant correlation (Briend et al., 2017). Therefore, it is essential to understand the impact of vaccinations on child growth and development to improve child health outcomes. Several studies have shown that immunisation can positively impact child growth and development. For instance, a study conducted in Ethiopia found that vaccination coverage was significantly associated with better child growth outcomes, including reduced stunting and underweight (Ayele et al., 2021). Another study in Nigeria reported that measles vaccination was associated with improved growth in children aged 6-59 months (Olawepo et al., 2017). Similarly, a study in India found that vaccination coverage was positively associated with higher height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) among children aged 6-23 months (Chakrabarti et al., 2020). These findings suggest that vaccination programs can be crucial in reducing the prevalence of stunting and improving child growth. On the other hand, some studies have reported no significant association between immunisation and stunting. For instance, a study in Bangladesh found that vaccination status was not significantly associated with child growth outcomes, including stunting and being underweight (Chowdhury et al., 2021). Another study in Pakistan reported no significant correlation between immunisation and HAZ or weight-for-height z-scores (WAZ) among children aged 12-23 months (Shahid et