Brazilian adolescents’ knowledge and beliefs about abortion methods: a school-based internet inquiry

Abstract

BackgroundInternet surveys that draw from traditionally generated samples provide the unique conditions to engage adolescents in exploration of sensitive health topics.MethodsWe examined awareness of unwanted pregnancy, abortion behaviour, methods, and attitudes toward specific legal indications for abortion via a school-based internet survey among 378 adolescents aged 12–21 years in three Rio de Janeiro public schools.ResultsForty-five percent knew peers who had undergone an abortion. Most students (66.0%) did not disclose abortion method knowledge. However, girls (aOR 4.2, 95% CI 2.4-7.2), those who had experienced their sexual debut (aOR1.76, 95% CI 1.1-3.0), and those attending a prestigious magnet school (aOR 2.7 95% CI 1.4-6.3) were more likely to report methods. Most abortion methods (79.3%) reported were ineffective, obsolete, and/or unsafe. Herbs (e.g. marijuana tea), over-the-counter medications, surgical procedures, foreign objects and blunt trauma were reported. Most techniques (85.2%) were perceived to be dangerous, including methods recommended by the World Health Organization. A majority (61.4%) supported Brazil’s existing law permitting abortion in the case of rape. There was no association between gender, age, sexual debut, parental education or socioeconomic status and attitudes toward legal abortion. However, students at the magnet school supported twice as many legal indications (2.7, SE.27) suggesting a likely role of peers and/or educators in shaping abortion views.ConclusionsAbortion knowledge and attitudes are not driven simply by age, religion or class, but rather a complex interplay that includes both social spaces and gender. Prevention of abortion morbidity and mortality among adolescents requires comprehensive sexuality and reproductive health education that includes factual distinctions between safe and unsafe abortion methods.

Abortion knowledge, attitudes and experiences among adolescent girls: a review of the literature

“…These methods may have been in the context of a self-induced abortion or one presided over by a traditional healer. 16,29,38,40 In Nigeria, lack of access to adequate medical personnel, facilities and equipment were predictors of illegal abortion among girls ages 14-21. 41 High cost of safe abortion service fees and distrust in the health care providers were also cited as barriers to accessing safe abortion in Ghana.…”

“…15 An internet survey of students from two technical schools in Brazil showed that the knowledge of abortion methods among 12-14-year-olds was lower than that among 15-16-year-olds (29% vs 40%, respectively). 16 Among 16-20-year-old girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 46% knew of a place to obtain an abortion, 71% knew of someone who had had an illegal abortion, and most were able to name at least one health consequence of illegal abortion (death, infertility, infection and bleeding were the most commonly cited). 17 Attitudes towards abortion among young adolescents are fairly conservative.…”

“…Each year, an estimated 3.2 million unsafe abortions (defined as a pregnancy termination performed either by a person lacking the necessary skills or in an environment lacking adequate medical standards) take place among adolescent girls ages [15][16][17][18][19]. This number accounts for almost 15% of the total global incidence of unsafe abortion (22 million), and abortion-related mortality among young girls and women accounts for nearly one-third of abortion-related deaths worldwide.…”

Factores que influyen en el nivel de conocimiento sobre las complicaciones del aborto en estudiantes universitarias

“…Así como también se demostró en el estudio de Cardona que encontró proporciones más altas de católicas que presentaban bajo nivel de conocimiento sobre sexualidad, atribuyendo que la religión desempeña un papel importante en la connotación de la sexualidad y su ejercicio 19 . Así también el estudio de Mitchell concluyo que los conocimientos y actitudes acerca del aborto no eran impulsados por la edad, la religión ni la clase, sino más bien una interacción compleja que incluye tanto los espacios sociales y de género 20 .…”

Cambios en prevalencias de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas de sexualidad en adolescentes escolarizados, Bogotá, 2011-2015

“…En Colombia 1 de 10 mujeres abortaron (ENDS 2015). En Brasil de calcula que entre 17% y el 40% de embarazos de adolescentes culminan en aborto (9).…”