Married Women's Reproductive Health Protective Attitudes and Factors Predicting: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study aimed to evaluate reproductive health (RH) protective attitudes among married women and to identify predictors of these attitudes using the Reproductive Health Protective Attitudes Scale (RHPAS).

This analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted with 372 married women who visited the gynecology outpatient clinic of a training and research hospital in İzmir, western Türkiye, between May and December 2023. Data were collected using the Individual Identification Form and the RHPAS. Descriptive statistics were used to assess socio-demographic, obstetric, and RH characteristics. Group differences in RHPAS scores were analyzed with t-tests and ANOVA. Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to identify relationships and predictors of RH protective attitudes. A significance level of p < 0.05 was accepted.

The mean RHPAS score was 133.11 ± 17.45, indicating a generally positive attitude toward RH protection. Significant differences in RHPAS scores were found by living place, family type, income level, and contraceptive use (p < 0.05). Negative correlations were observed between RHPAS scores and both the number of pregnancies (r = -0.104, p = 0.045) and number of living children (r = -0.152, p = 0.003). Regression analysis showed that living in urban areas, nuclear family type, higher income, pregnancy experience, contraceptive use, fewer children, and having an RH diagnosis were significant predictors of higher RHPAS scores (p < 0.05, R² = 0.173).

Married women showed favorable RH protective attitudes. Education and counseling should be prioritized to improve awareness and access to RH services, especially by addressing influencing socio-demographic and obstetric factors.