the study of perception and behavior of madurese ethnic towards maternal health in jember regency

sociocultural aspect can bring both potentials and constraints for the maternal health. madurese ethnic in jember regency still hold on to the passed down traditions regarding maternal health care. this study aims to identify and analyze the perception and cultural behavior of madurese ethnic in jember regency towards maternal health. it was a qualitative study applying ethnographic research design. the data were collected using passive participant observations and in-depth interview. the participants were selected using purposive sampling technique towards pregnant women, husbands of pregnant women, parents or in-laws of pregnant women, couples of childbearing age, community leaders, cultural leaders, religious leaders, and traditional birth attendants with the total of 8 participants. the study was conducted from december 2019 to february 2020 in panduman village and sucopangepok village, jelbuk district, jember regency, east java province where the madurese ethnic resides. the data from the informants were validated using triangulation, the analysis was done to know the potentials and constraints. the results show that the practice of madurese ethnic culture has supported the medical field by doing pregnancy check in health workers, but there are several cultural practices that remain to be the constraints: underage marriage, not having a pregnancy check in the first trimester, the traditional birth attendants still assist the labor. it is suggested to improve the approaching strategy of health workers and local governments towards the community through health promotion activities to increase a sense of trust towards modern health culture without abandoning the cultural tradition that is not contradicted with the medical world.