The Community Service Team – Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (PkM-MBKM) of the Faculty of Biology, UGM 2025, carried out a series of educational activities in Pajangan Hamlet, Wedomartani, Ngemplak, Sleman, themed “The Relationship Between Mental and Physical Health”. These activities aimed to increase public understanding of the importance of mental health as an integral part of overall health, in line with the implementation of sustainable development towards a healthy and prosperous life (SDGs No. 3). The team involved five active students from the Faculty of Biology, Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Class of 2022 supervised by Dr. Ardaning Nuriliani, S.Si., M.Kes.
The activity began with the distribution of questionnaires and direct interviews with 50 residents on September 5th – 7th, 2025 to determine their perceptions and practices regarding mental and physical health. The results indicated that most residents recognize the importance of mental health, but many still lack understanding of how to maintain and improve their mental health. These findings served as the basis for the team to continue with a more in-depth educational program on ways to maintain a balance between mental and physical health. The enthusiasm of the residents further confirmed the effectiveness of a community-based approach in optimizing local potential for health.
A follow-up activity included an interactive outreach and discussion held at the Jami’ Darussalam Mosque in Pajangan Hamlet on Sunday, September 28th, 2025. The outreach material was delivered by Namaskara Tawang Kusuma, S.Psi. (alumnus of Faculty of Psychology UGM), who discussed the concept of mental health, its impact on physical health, and strategies for maintaining a balance between the two. The Q & A session was lively and interactive, marked by active participation from residents, who asked various questions related to their personal experiences and conditions they had experienced. The speaker emphasized that mental health involves stress, which can be both positive and negative, depending on how a person handles it. He also emphasized the importance of parents’ role in sharing experiences and knowledge, thus providing them with the necessary tools to face life’s challenges.
The event concluded with a free health check-up led by Andika Jatra Pratama, an active student at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing at Gadjah Mada University (UGM). The health check-up included blood pressure and blood sugar levels, giving residents the opportunity to directly assess and evaluate their health. Residents also received direct guidance on the test results, including suggestions and simple steps they can take to maintain and improve their health. In the future, this activity is also expected to further strengthen the partnership between Dusun Pajangan, Wedomartani, Ngemplak, Sleman and the Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (SDGs No.17).
Contributors: Ardaning Nuriliani, Chelsy Ammara Septiani, Syifa Aneira, Meinawa Amaliah, Nimas Ayu Pramesthi, Muhammad Fathin Setya Daffa