The Effect of the Commander Application (Gender Equality-Based Adolescent Reproductive Health Education) on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Self-efficacy of High School Students in Yogyakarta City

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Teenage dating behavior can lead to unsafe dating behavior. There has been an increase in the incidence of sexual violence, involving adolescent girls as victims of abuse. It is imperative to provide more proactive protection and violence prevention by gender equality-based reproductive health education through application media. AIM: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the Commander application (gender equality-based adolescent reproductive health education) on knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of high school students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a non-equivalent design (pretest and posttest) and a control group. The intervention group received gender-based adolescent reproductive health education with the media application that was made by the research team, while the control group received routine reproductive health education with lectures organized by the local public health center (Puskesmas). The research population was all high school students in the Yogyakarta City, and the schools were selected based on those in the target area of the Puskesmas that had adolescent health services. School selection based on school characteristic type of school and number of students. Two schools were selected as the intervention and control groups with a minimum sample of 30 male and 30 female students from each school. The total sample was 170 people. The questionnaire used to measure attitude, knowledge, and self-efficacy was previously tested for validity and reliability and declared valid and reliable. Comparative analysis has been carried out in two paired groups using a dependent t-test, while for two unpaired groups using an independent t-test. RESULTS: The mean values of knowledge in the intervention and control groups were 0.628 versus −0.183 and the difference between the two groups was not significant (p = 0.108). The average attitude values of the intervention and control groups were 0.557 versus −2.283 and the difference between the two groups was significantly different (p = 0.000). The average self-efficacy values of the intervention and control groups were 3.785 versus −3.350 and the difference between the two groups was significantly different (p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Gender-based adolescent reproductive health education interventions with application media can improve adolescent attitudes and self-efficacy.