Determinants of adolescent reproductive health service utilization by senior high school students in Makassar, Indonesia

BACKGROUND: Adolescents face many problems due to risky behavior. As a result, they require special consideration through the administration of health education and reproductive health services. However the utilization of adolescent reproductive health service programs in Makassar is still relatively low. The purpose of this study, then, was to identify the rates at which adolescent reproductive health services are utilized and to analyze the determinants affecting such utilization. METHOD: This research was a quantitative project with a cross-sectional design, and it was conducted in March to May of 2018 in Makassar City. Data were collected via the independent completion of questionnaires by 383 senior high school students randomly selected from a total of six schools. Data were analyzed using chi-square testing and multiple logistic regression using SPSS. RESULTS: This study found that only 24.3% of the students took advantage of adolescent reproductive health services. The results of the analysis proved that knowledge of reproductive health and available services (OR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.040–2.911) are related to the utilization of those services. It was found that students with high levels of knowledge are nearly twice as likely to utilize adolescent reproductive health services as those with low levels of knowledge after the results were controlled for the variables of family and peer support. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to promote socialization between students and parents on a regular basis, disseminate information through online media/social networking, administer peer educator training, and establish school organizations in the field of reproductive health to increase awareness and utilization of adolescent reproductive health services.