<![CDATA[Adolescents are an age group vulnerable to reproductive health problems, including the risk of early-age marriage, due to limited access to information and community attitudes that still regard sexuality as a taboo topic. The community service program "Youth Care Circle: Caring Teens Together" was carried out at SMA Negeri 1 Bolangitang Timur on January 27, 2026, with the aim of improving adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in maintaining reproductive health and preventing risky behaviors such as early-age marriage. The program applied a promotive and preventive approach based on community outreach, including interactive counseling, question-and-answer sessions, nutritional status screening (height, weight, and upper-arm circumference), screening using a questionnaire on menstrual pattern disorders, and a digital poster-making competition themed around the prevention of early-age marriage. The target participants were 28 female students aged 17-19 years. Results showed 100% participant attendance and engagement, with the majority of participants found to have underweight nutritional status, along with an increase in knowledge and a positive shift in attitudes toward reproductive health and the prevention of early-age marriage. All three outcome targets - improved knowledge, attitude change, and active adolescent participation - were achieved. Challenges encountered included limited implementation time, variation in participants' knowledge levels, and inadequate facilities and infrastructure. This program is expected to serve as a model for sustainable adolescent reproductive health education through cross-sector collaboration among schools, health workers, and the community.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
