Pustaka Ilmiah Universitas Padjadjaran

Abstrak

Peer Education : The Effect on Menstrual Knowledge in Early Reproductive Age Women in West Java Rural Area

Female adolescent in West Java with alow level of knowledge regarding reproductive health is still considered as high as 83%. From all of them, 61.8% are unaware of menstrual matters. These facts portray the high number of female adolescent which were inadequately informed. Escalating the level of knowledge using the method of education is one of the possible ways to solve this matter. Peer education method and conventional method were known as successful methods for escalating level of knowledge, yet the most effective method between these two is still unknown. This study was conducted to find out the comparison of menstrual knowledge among groups with different educational methods.The targeted population was conducted in 2 different junior high schools in therural area from Jatinangor, West Java. 112 minimum sample size was needed ([alpha] = 5%, 2 ways; [beta] = 20%), randomly chosen with multistage sampling method. This study applied quasi-experimental design and the interventions were apeer and conventional education applied into two different group using pretest and posttest approach. Primary data was taken using validated questionnaire used for calculating themean score of menstrual knowledge in both groups. Demographic information with theproportion between thegroup was analyzed, and mean comparison between groups was computed using Mann-Whitney U test.Age and age of menarche in peer vs conventional education werehomogeneous. Most of the history regarding menstruation information was given by their mothers (63.3% vs 71.7%). Interest specified topic was about menstrual hygiene (76,7% vs 71.7%). Comparison of mean different regarding menstrual knowledge in peer educational method was 5.08 with 95% CI (4.34-5.83) and conventional method was 3.48 with 95% CI (2.73-4.24). This comparison was found as significant as the p-value was 0.004. Mean different of menstrual knowledge in peer education group is higher than conventional education group. A further implication of this finding towards ahigher quality of reproductive health in adolescent involving the authority and health care provider should be enacted.