Intersectional Medication Abortion Stigma Among Black & Latinx Women in Georgia
Abstract
Background:
Medication abortion use is on the rise, increasing from 39% in 2017 to over half (53%) of all abortions in the US in 2020. Medication abortion (MA) has the potential to increase general abortion access through the ability to control abortion waiting times, address clinic location barriers through the provision of abortion care via telemedicine, and better control and gestational age at abortion.
Previous findings from the GAMA study revealed that medication abortion knowledge among Black and Latinx communities in Atlanta is relatively low, and improving medication abortion experiences for these communities would requires intersectional considerations of racial, ethnic, gender, economic, and other systemic inequities. The results of this study suggested a need for further exploration into the role that intersectional stigma plays in the medication abortion experiences of Black and Latinx women.
Methods: The GAMA study conducted 32 in-depth interviews with Black and Latinx women, which were used in the secondary analysis of this thesis project. Dedoose was used to code all transcribed interviews and to conduct the initial thematic analysis. For the secondary analysis, MAXQDA was used to code and analyze the data for further thematic analysis of the abortion stigma and medical mistrust codes.
Results:
This study revealed that abortion stigma is influenced by a mix of cultural, moral, and religious beliefs. Additionally, medical mistrust in Black and Latinx communities contributes to the intersectional stigmas surrounding medication abortion in these communities. Due to these intersecting influences, abortion remains a sensitive and stigmatized subject.
Conclusion: The experiences with, perceptions of, and attitudes towards medication abortion among Black and Latinx women in Georgia are influenced by intersectional stigma. This research can inform future efforts to increase abortion access for Black and Latinx communities and improve reproductive health disparities in Georgia.
Keywords
Abortion, reproductive health, stigma, intersectionality, reproductive justice, U.S. Southeast
Intersectional Medication Abortion Stigma Among Black & Latinx Women in Georgia
Background:
Medication abortion use is on the rise, increasing from 39% in 2017 to over half (53%) of all abortions in the US in 2020. Medication abortion (MA) has the potential to increase general abortion access through the ability to control abortion waiting times, address clinic location barriers through the provision of abortion care via telemedicine, and better control and gestational age at abortion.
Previous findings from the GAMA study revealed that medication abortion knowledge among Black and Latinx communities in Atlanta is relatively low, and improving medication abortion experiences for these communities would requires intersectional considerations of racial, ethnic, gender, economic, and other systemic inequities. The results of this study suggested a need for further exploration into the role that intersectional stigma plays in the medication abortion experiences of Black and Latinx women.
Methods: The GAMA study conducted 32 in-depth interviews with Black and Latinx women, which were used in the secondary analysis of this thesis project. Dedoose was used to code all transcribed interviews and to conduct the initial thematic analysis. For the secondary analysis, MAXQDA was used to code and analyze the data for further thematic analysis of the abortion stigma and medical mistrust codes.
Results:
This study revealed that abortion stigma is influenced by a mix of cultural, moral, and religious beliefs. Additionally, medical mistrust in Black and Latinx communities contributes to the intersectional stigmas surrounding medication abortion in these communities. Due to these intersecting influences, abortion remains a sensitive and stigmatized subject.
Conclusion: The experiences with, perceptions of, and attitudes towards medication abortion among Black and Latinx women in Georgia are influenced by intersectional stigma. This research can inform future efforts to increase abortion access for Black and Latinx communities and improve reproductive health disparities in Georgia.
