Predictors of Sexual and Reproductive Self-care Among Iranian Adolescent Females

 Self-care can include the activities that individuals perform in accordance with their needs to maintain and promote their health. Puberty is the most important change that comes with adolescence, which necessitates adolescents to become aware of their sexual and reproductive health.

 The objective of the present study was to investigate the predictors of adolescent females’ sexual and reproductive self-care status.

 This cross-sectional study using random multistage sampling was conducted on adolescent females aged 14 - 19 years in the secondary schools of Karaj, Iran, in 2022. A total of 555 female students voluntarily completed the survey. The survey included the Female Adolescents’ Sexual and Reproductive Self-care Scale (FASRSCS). Pearson’s correlation coefficient and univariable and multivariable linear regression were applied.

 The mean score of the FASRSCS was 65.42 out of 100 (standard deviation (SD) = 10.27). The highest mean score was acquired on the Perception of Female Adolescents of Premarital Sexual Relationships subscale (85.98 (SD = 14.28)), and the lowest mean score was acquired on the Reproductive and Sexual Health Knowledge subscale (36.97 (SD = 23.58)). The total score on the FASRSCS had the strongest association with the Adolescents and Family Interaction subscale (r = 0.71, P < 0.001), and the weakest association was with the Reproductive and Sexual Health Knowledge subscale (r = 0.38, P < 0.001). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that having very strong religious beliefs (β = 0.23, P < 0.001), receiving information regarding puberty and menstrual health from peers (β = -0.20, P < 0.001), and cold parent-child relationship (β = -0.19, P < 0.001) were independent significant predictors of good sexual and reproductive self-care among adolescent females.

 Given the importance of religious beliefs, parent-adolescent relationships, and the sources through which adolescents receive information regarding their sexual and reproductive health self-care, it is necessary to appropriate design interventions, including the aforementioned factors, in order to optimize and promote good sexual and reproductive health among female Iranian adolescents.