The impact of health education on adolescents' understanding of reproductive health

Reproductive health education is an essential aspect of increasing adolescents' awareness and understanding of reproductive health, particularly in menstrual management and personal hygiene. This study aims to evaluate the impact of reproductive health education on the knowledge level of female adolescents. The research method used is quantitative, with a quasi-experimental design using the One Group Pretest-Posttest Design. The study population consisted of all female students in grades 7, 8, and 9 at SMP 2 Raha, totaling 286 students. A sample of 167 students was selected using the purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through a questionnaire that had been tested for validity and reliability. Data analysis was conducted using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test to examine differences in knowledge levels before and after education. The study results showed that before the education intervention, 47% of respondents had low knowledge levels, while 53% had good knowledge levels. After the intervention, there was a significant improvement, with 90% of respondents demonstrating good knowledge and only 10% remaining at a lower knowledge level. The average knowledge score increased from 17.320 to 19.610, with a p-value of 0.000, indicating a significant difference. These findings suggest that booklet and leaflet-based educational interventions are effective in improving adolescents' understanding of reproductive health. The study concludes that reproductive health education significantly contributes to enhancing adolescents' knowledge of reproductive health. Therefore, integrating reproductive health education into the school curriculum, along with support from healthcare professionals, is essential to ensure that adolescents receive accurate and adequate information.