Female Adolescent Issues and the Need of Reproductive Health Information: A Case Studying North Coastal Line, West Java

Abstract

Background: Women’s health needs are often ignored. Female adolescents are particularly vulnerable to reproductive health problem. Young women in the North coastal line had a higher risk of reproductive health problem, as many stalls and cafes run a prostitution business involving young women as their object. This study aimed to explore the reproductive health issues felt by female adolescents and theirs need of health information in North coastal line, West Java. Subjects and Method: This was a qualitative study conducted at two junior high schools at Pusakajaya Subang, West Java, from Juli to August 2017. A sample of 141 female students aged 11 to 15 years was selected for this study. The data were collected by focus group discussion and analyzed by content analysis. Results: Some of the problems felt by the informants included shame and confusion of experiencing body shape changes, breast enlargement, acne emergence, and menstruation. These young women were faced with the difficulty of rejecting the invitation of a boyfriend for hugs, kisses, and using drugs. The young women needed (1) Information on changes that might occur in adolescence and efforts to overcome this issue; (2) Information on how to communicate their choice boldly and firmly; (3) Information about the consequences of promiscuity, sexually-transmitted diseases, and the dangers of drug use. Conclusion: Female adolescents in North coastal line of West Java have several issues during their youth. They need information of health reproduction, the danger of drug use, and sexually-transmitted diseases. Keywords: the need of information, reproductive health, female adolescents