Coastal Adolescent Empowerment for Reproductive Health and Early Marriage Prevention

Aims: Adolescents in coastal areas face heightened risks of early marriage and unintended pregnancy, attributed to limited access to reproductive health care and enduring socio-cultural norms. This study aimed to examine the impact of empowering coastal adolescents through youth Posyandu on the prevention of early marriage and unwanted pregnancy by assessing the roles of reproductive health knowledge and attitudes within integrated health post programs in coastal communities.Instrument & Methods: This quantitative cross-sectional study involved ۲۱۰ teenagers selected through proportionate random sampling. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was employed to examine direct effects, as well as mediating and moderating relationships among knowledge, attitudes, program-supporting and inhibiting factors, youth Posyandu empowerment, early marriage, and unintended pregnancy.Findings: Program supporters and inhibitors significantly influenced unintended pregnancy (t=۲.۸۸۱; p=۰.۰۰۴). Knowledge positively affected unintended pregnancy (t=۶.۶۴۴; p<۰.۰۰۱) and youth Posyandu empowerment (t=۶.۱۶۸; p<۰.۰۰۱). Attitudes had a positive effect on unintended pregnancy (t=۶.۰۹; p<۰.۰۰۱) but had no significant effect on empowerment (t=۰.۴۷۹; p=۰.۶۳۲). Empowerment significantly reduced unintended pregnancy (t=۲.۵۶۶; p=۰.۰۱). Empowerment partially mediated the effect of Knowledge on early marriage and unintended pregnancy (indirect effect=-۰.۰۶۱; p=۰.۰۳۵), whereas attitudes had no mediating role. Program characteristics did not moderate the impact of empowerment on unintended pregnancy (t=۰.۲۲۷; p=۰.۸۲). Conclusion: Enhancing adolescents’ understanding and empowering Youth Posyandu are critical strategies to prevent early marriage and unintended pregnancy in coastal communities.

کلیدواژه ها:

Teenagers ، Prevention ، marriage ، unwanted pregnancy