P027Abortion complexity and abortion identity: Findings from the ohio survey of women

Abstract

<h3>Objectives</h3> Despite framing of abortion attitudes as polarized, attitudes may be more complex. After classifying women by their abortion identity (ie, pro-life, pro-choice, or neither/both), we examined the complexity of their abortion attitude. <h3>Methods</h3> We used 2018–2019 data from a population-representative sample of Ohio women aged 18–44 to assess views on abortion based on: 1) availability, 2) acceptability, 3) fear of imprisonment, 4) feelings toward providers, and 5) views toward federal bans. We calculated complexity scores for the individual's degree of variation in responses and compared across abortion identity. Respondents' views were categorized as polarized, mixed, or complex. We used ordered logistic regression to evaluate the association between sociodemographic characteristics and complexity scores. <h3>Results</h3> Overall, most (53%) had polarized abortion views. Among pro-life women, 46% were polarized and 28% held complex views. In comparison, among pro-choice women, 78% were polarized and only 2% held complex views. Among those identifying as neither/both, the plurality (44%) had mixed views. Eight factors were associated with having higher complexity scores: rural Appalachia residence, lower socioeconomic status, older age, being married, having live children, not knowing someone who had an abortion, attending religious services more regularly, and holding middle-ground political ideologies. <h3>Conclusions</h3> While most women in Ohio held polarized views on abortion, those with pro-life or neither/both abortion identity had more complex views. These findings suggest that Ohio policies that completely ban abortion are incongruent with public sentiment.