Abstract
Background
The objective of this research was to examine individuals' knowledge about abortion
in the context of their knowledge about other sexual and reproductive health (SRH)
issues, including contraception, abortion, pregnancy, and birth.
Methods
During August 2012, we administered an online questionnaire to a randomly selected
sample of 639 men and women of reproductive age (18–44 years) in the United States.
Findings
Respondents reported the highest levels of perceived knowledge about SRH in general
(81%), followed by pregnancy and birth (53%), contraception (48%), and abortion (35%);
knowledge of specific items within each of these areas paralleled this pattern. Respondents
who believe that abortion should be allowed in at least some circumstances were more
likely to be correct regarding the safety and consequences of contraception and abortion.
Characteristics associated with higher levels of knowledge regarding abortion-related
issues included having higher levels of knowledge about non–abortion-related SRH issues
and having less restrictive abortion beliefs.
Conclusions
Women and men are not well-informed about the relative safety and consequences of
SRH-related experiences. Many overestimate their knowledge, and personal beliefs about
abortion restrictions may influence their knowledge about the safety and consequences
of abortion and contraception. Providers of SRH services should provide comprehensive
evidence-based information about the risks and consequences of SRH matters during
consultations, particularly in the case of abortion providers serving women who hold
more restrictive abortion beliefs.
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Women's Health IssuesAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
Bowman, K., & Rugg, A. (2012). AEI public opinion studies: Attitudes about abortion. Retrieved from: http://www.aei.org/files/2012/01/20/-attitudes-about-abortion-39-years-of-polling_131350993384.pdf
- Institute of Medicine. Committee on Unintended Pregnancy. The best intentions: Unintended pregnancy and the well-being of children and families.National Academy Press, Washington, DC1995
- Abortion misinformation from crisis pregnancy centers in North Carolina.Contraception. 2012; 86: 752-756
- Contraception and health.Lancet. 2012; 380: 149-156
- Childbirth Connection, Harris Interactive, Lamaze International. Listening to mothers: Report of the second national U.S. survey of women's childbearing experiences (p. 3068).Childbirth Connection, New York2006
- Reasons U.S. women have abortions: Quantitative and qualitative perspectives.Perspectives in Sexual and Reproductive Health. 2005; 37: 110-118
- Reasons for using contraception: Perspectives of US women seeking care at specialized family planning clinics.Contraception. 2012; (Retrieved from:)
- Young adults' contraceptive knowledge, norms and attitudes: Associations with risk of unintended pregnancy.Perspectives in Sexual and Reproductive Health. 2012; 44: 107-116
Guttmacher Institute. (2012). States enact record number of abortion restrictions in 2011. News in Context. Retrieved January 5, 2012, from: http://www.guttmacher.org/media/inthenews/2012/01/05/endofyear.html
- The emergency contraceptive pill: A survey of knowledge and attitudes among students at Princeton University.American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 1995; 173: 1438-1445
- Women's knowledge about intrauterine contraception.Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2011; 117: 48-54
- “I would want to give my child, like, everything in the world”: How issues of motherhood influence women who have abortions.Journal of Family Issues. 2008; 29: 79-99
- Changes in abortion rates between 2000 and 2008 and lifetime incidence of abortion.Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2011; 117: 1358-1366
- Conceptualising abortion stigma.Culture, Health & Sexuality. 2009; 11: 625-639
Littman, L. L., Jacobs, A. J., Negron, R., Shochet, T., Gold, M., & Cremer, M. (under review). Misconceptions about abortion risks: What do abortion patients believe?
- Abortion and the politics of motherhood.University of California Press, Berkeley1984
- Fertility of men and women aged 15-44 years in the united states: National survey of family growth, 2006-2010.National Health Statistics Reports. 2012; 51: 1-28
- Making sense of motherhood: A narrative approach.Cambridge University Press, West Nyack, NY2005
- Use of contraception in the United States: 1982-2008.Vital Health Statistics. 2010; 23: 1-44
- A pilot study of women's knowledge of pregnancy health risks: Implications for contraception.Contraception. 2012; 85: 78-82
- Abortion stigma: A reconceptualization of constituents, causes, and consequences.Womens Health Issues. 2011; 21: S49-S54
- Abstinence and abstinence-only education.Current Opinions in Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2007; 19: 446-452
- The public health risks of crisis pregnancy centers.Perspectives in Sexual and Reproductive Health. 2012; 44: 201-205
- Medical accuracy in sexuality education: Ideology and the scientific process.American Journal of Public Health. 2008; 98: 1786-1792
- The case for insurance coverage of contraceptive services and supplies without cost-sharing.Guttmacher Policy Review. 2011; 14: 7-10
- Perceptions of contraceptive effectiveness and health effects of oral contraception.Womens Health Issues. 1997; 7: 400-406
- Ten great public health achievements–United States, 1900-1999.MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 1999; 48: 241-243
- Family planning.MMWR Morbidity and Mortally Weekly Report. 1999; 48: 1073-1080
- Knowledge and beliefs about contraception in urban Latina women.Journal of Community Health. 2008; 33: 357-362
- Anxieties and attitudes towards abortion in women presenting for medical and surgical abortions.Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Canada. 2004; 26: 881-885
Biography
Megan L. Kavanaugh, DrPH, is a Senior Research Associate at the Guttmacher Institute, New York, New York. Her research portfolio has focused on unintended pregnancy, contraceptive use, post-abortion contraception, and attitudes about abortion.
Biography
Danielle Bessett, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio. Her research interests are in medical and family sociology, focusing on sexual and reproductive health issues and inequality.
Biography
Lisa Littman, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine with joint appointments in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science. Her research interests include maternal, child, and reproductive health.
Biography
Alison Norris, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine at The Ohio State University. She studies sexual and reproductive health with a particular focus on decision making, stigmatized behaviors, and improving the health and well-being of vulnerable people.
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
April 25,
2013
Received in revised form:
April 23,
2013
Received:
January 8,
2013
Footnotes
An anonymous donor funded the research on which this report was based.
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
