The Effectiveness of Local-Leader-Based Social Interventions on Knowledge and Attitudes of Early Marriage among Mother Who Have Teenage Children

Abstract

Abstract.
 Introduction. Early marriage causes pregnancy and early delivery with complications of pregnancy, childbirth, low birth weight, and stunting and has an impact on high maternal and child mortality rates. Local leader-based social intervention for parents with adolescents can increase knowledge and attitudes in preventing early marriage. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of social interventions by community leaders on the knowledge, attitudes of mothers, and young women.
 Methode. The study was conducted in the district of Deliserdang, subdistrict Percut Sei Tuan, Sumatera Utara province,Indonesia. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional interventional study with baseline survey and repeat surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of social interventions by community leaders on the knowledge, attitudes of mothers, and young women. Fifteen participants local leaders from the community were trained to provide early marriage prevention education. The training was carried out for two days. After the training, the researchers assisted for 2 weeks in conducting early marriage prevention education to the community. After mentoring, each participant carried out early marriage prevention education independently. 308 for adolescents and parents (154 in the intervention group and 154 in the control group) were selected by systematic sampling to assess the effectiveness. Data was collected using a questioner and analyzed by Mann Whitney test.
 Result. Social intervention by local leaders as agents of change in the community for six months and controls were given leaflets for adolescents and parents, indicating that interventions carried out by community leaders were more effective in increasing the knowledge and attitudes of parents and young women compared to giving leaflets (p-value <0.05).
 Conclusion. Social intervention based on local leaders is more effectively used as a method of early marriage prevention education.