THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND TRUST IN HEALTH WORKERS WITH EARLY PLANNING REFERRAL DECISIONS IN PASURUAN, INDONESIA

Indonesia's Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) remains elevated compared to other ASEAN nations. Various factors contribute to these issues, including high-risk pregnancies and delay in referral to healthcare facilities. One approach to reducing MMR is planned early referral, ensuring that high-risk pregnant women receive timely and appreciate care. However, the implementation of early referral still faces challenges, particularly related to socioeconomic status and trust in healthcare services, which influence referral decision. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between socioeconomic status and trust in healthcare services with planned referral decisions among pregnant women in Pasuruan Regency, Indonesia. A cross-sectional analytical observational study design was used, involving 116 pregnant women selected proportionally from a total population of 580. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and analyzed using Chi-Square and ordinal logistic regression test (p < 0.05). The result indicates a significant relationship between socioeconomic status (p = 0.043) and trust in healthcare services (p = 0.001. The analysis shows that socioeconomic status and trust in healthcare services account for 35.6% of planned early referral decisions, with trust in healthcare services having a stronger influence (OR = 6.04) than socioeconomic status (OR = 3.36). These findings suggest that planned early referral decisions are significantly affected by socioeconomic status and trust in healthcare services, who play a crucial role in improving access to optimal maternal healthcare services.