Background
Substance use is prohibited in Indonesia; however, adolescents continue to consume these substances, creating a significant public health challenge. This study examines behavioral and demographic factors associated with general drug use, including cannabis and amphetamine use, among Indonesian adolescents, using nationally representative data.
Methods
A cross-sectional study used data from the 2023 Indonesia Global School-based Student Health Survey, which included 10,059 students aged 13 to 17 years. A two-stage cluster sampling was applied, and descriptive and regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with substance use.
Results
Overall, 3.03% of students reported drug use, 1.45% reported cannabis use, and 1.33% reported amphetamine use. Age and school level were not significantly associated with substance use. However, male sex, residence outside the Java-Bali region, alcohol use, and tobacco use were consistently linked to higher odds of drug, cannabis, and amphetamine use. Alcohol consumption was the strongest predictor for all types of substance use. These findings indicate that risky behaviors tend to cluster, supporting the pattern of polysubstance use among youth.
Conclusion
The study findings highlight the need for risk-specific, gender-responsive, school-based prevention programs that actively involve parents and regulate adolescents’ access to alcohol and tobacco. Enhancing life skills and character education in both school and family settings may also help students avoid risky behaviors.

Background
Sexual and reproductive health remains a significant public health issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries where access to contraception and sexuality education is often limited. This study examined factors associated with the use of condoms and other birth control methods among school-going adolescents in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Thailand.
Methods
This study utilized cross-sectional data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey conducted in Brunei Darussalam (2019), Thailand (2021), and Indonesia (2023), involving 868 sexually active school-going adolescents. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to assess the association between demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral risk factors with use of condoms and other birth control methods among adolescents who reported being sexually active.
Results
Condom use was significantly higher among adolescents in Thailand than those in Indonesia (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 8.035); no significant difference was observed in Brunei Darussalam. High parental support was positively associated with condom use (AOR, 1.883). Regarding other birth control methods, adolescents aged 17 years and older were more likely to use contraception than their younger peers (AOR, 1.557). Adolescents in Thailand also demonstrated a higher use of other birth control methods (AOR, 2.132). Additionally, experiencing a single symptom of psychological distress was positively associated with using other birth control methods.
Conclusion
Age, number of sexual partners, psychological distress, parental support, and national context significantly influenced contraceptive use among adolescents in Southeast Asia. Enhancing parental involvement, expanding access to adolescent-friendly health services, and strengthening comprehensive sexuality education are crucial strategies for reducing the risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among adolescents.

Background
Indonesia faces significant maternal and child health challenges, including a high maternal mortality ratio. The country’s vast geography results in disparities in healthcare facility availability. This study aimed to identify factors influencing maternal delivery choices in health facilities across Indonesia’s rural and urban areas.
Methods
This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2017 Indonesia Demographic Health Survey. The study population included women aged 15–49 who had given birth within 5 years preceding the survey. A total of 14,162 women were included, with 6,339 from urban and 5,009 from rural areas. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with maternal delivery locations.
Results
The findings showed that 91.37% of urban and 69.33% of rural mothers delivered in healthcare facilities. All analyzed variables were significantly correlated with maternal delivery in health facilities across both areas. In rural areas, the sex of the household head (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.71; P=0.031) and the absence of barriers to healthcare access (AOR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.07–1.60; P=0.008) were significant factors. Conversely, in urban areas, only maternal age was significantly associated with delivering in health facilities.
Conclusion
Determinants of maternal delivery choices vary between rural and urban settings. In rural areas, healthcare access and household head sex are key factors, while maternal age is significant in urban areas. The government should prioritize equitable healthcare facility distribution, particularly in rural areas, and promote family involvement, especially among husbands, during antenatal care to encourage facility-based deliveries.

Citations

• Family medicine for all stages of life: turning knowledge into actionable care
  Joung Sik Son
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2026; 47(2): 95.     CrossRef

Background
Malnutrition is common among children under 5 years of age in Indonesia, with the rates varying between urban and rural areas. The minimum acceptable diet (MAD) assesses nutrient quality and quantity. This study aimed to identify the potential variables for MAD in 6–23-month-old children in both urban and rural Indonesia.
Methods
We used the data from the 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey to conduct this nationally representative study. A total of 4,688 children aged 6–23 months were included in the study. MAD was classified using the 2017 World Health Organization global nutrition monitoring framework. The determinants of MAD were analyzed using multiple logistic regression.
Results
Overall, 45% of children aged 6–23 months received the required MAD, with 47.4% receiving the MAD in urban areas and 35.7% in rural areas. Children’s age, fathers’ age, parents’ education level, mothers’ employment, and wealth index were strongly linked to MAD in both rural and urban homes. The factor specifically related to MAD in urban areas was mother living with her husband. For rural households, mothers’ involvement in decisionmaking and a minimum of four antenatal care (ANC) visits significantly increased the likelihood of their children’s MAD status.
Conclusion
MAD status was determined by increased child age, higher parent education, younger father, working mother, and higher wealth index in children aged 6–23 months in both urban and rural settings. Mothers living with a spouse determined the MAD status only in urban areas. More frequent ANC visits and mother participation in household decisions were other factors related to MAD status in rural areas.

Citations

• Determinants of Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD) among children aged 6 to 23 months in rural Belagavi – A cross-sectional study
  Ayesha Abdullatif Dhalayat, Mubashir Angolkar, Anusha Kulkarni, Alex Carvalho
  Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health.2026; 41: 102417.     CrossRef
• Health behaviors, lifestyle factors, and healthcare challenges in family medicine: a comprehensive review of recent evidence from Asian populations
  Joung Sik Son
  Korean Journal of Family Medicine.2025; 46(4): 215.     CrossRef