Gender and Educational Disparities in Abortion Knowledge, Attitudes, and Legal Awareness in Ghana: Implications for Public Health Education and Policy

Gender and Educational Disparities in Abortion Knowledge, Attitudes, and Legal Awareness in Ghana: Implications for Public Health Education and Policy | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Gender and Educational Disparities in Abortion Knowledge, Attitudes, and Legal Awareness in Ghana: Implications for Public Health Education and Policy Richard Adade, Gifty Anim, Karl Yussif Hamdia, Manoah Konadu Gyimah, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8602706/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Unsafe abortion remains a major public health concern in Ghana and continues to contribute substantially to maternal morbidity and mortality. Although abortion is legally permitted under specific conditions, access to safe services is often constrained by stigma, misinformation, and limited awareness of the law. This study examined gendered and socio-educational disparities in abortion-related knowledge, attitudes, and legal awareness among residents of Fiapre, a peri-urban community in the Sunyani West Municipality. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 240 residents recruited through convenience sampling at a local health facility. Data were collected using a structured, pretested questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. Awareness of safe abortion practices was generally high, with a greater proportion of women than men identifying health facilities as appropriate settings for safe abortion. Recognition of unsafe methods, including self-induced abortion, was also high across genders. Marked differences emerged by occupation, as nearly all formally employed respondents identified hospitals as the correct setting for abortion care, compared with fewer informally employed participants. Educational attainment was the strongest predictor of legal awareness, with individuals without formal education being significantly less likely to know that abortion is legal under certain conditions in Ghana. These findings highlight the importance of targeted, community-based reproductive health and legal education interventions, particularly for populations with lower educational attainment, to promote informed decision-making and reduce reliance on unsafe abortion practices. Abortion Unsafe Legal awareness safe Ghana 1. Introduction According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), abortions are safe when performed using recommended protocols appropriate to gestational age and carried out by trained professionals in environments that meet minimum medical standards. Safe abortion procedures may involve outpatient surgical interventions or the use of medications (medical abortion). By contrast, unsafe abortion refers to pregnancy terminations carried out by unqualified individuals, in environments that do not meet minimum medical standards, or both. Globally, an estimated 29% of all pregnancies end in induced abortion, corresponding to a rate of approximately 39 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–49 years (Bearak et al., 2020 ; WHO, 2021). Alarmingly, in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, around three out of four abortions remain unsafe (WHO, 2021). Women with unintended pregnancies who lack access to safe abortion services face heightened health risks. In low-resource settings, poverty, restrictive legal frameworks, and limited health infrastructure increase reliance on unsafe abortion practices, which continue to be a significant contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality. Recent estimates indicate that unsafe abortion accounts for approximately 4.7–13.2% of global maternal deaths, translating into tens of thousands of preventable deaths annually, alongside millions of women experiencing serious short- and long-term health complications (WHO, 2021; Say et al., 2014 ). In Ghana, unsafe abortion remains a significant public health concern. Earlier estimates reported a maternal mortality ratio of approximately 580 per 100,000 live births (Aboagye et al., 2007 ). During the mid-2000s, complications arising from unsafe abortion were estimated to account for about 11% of maternal deaths, ranking unsafe abortion among the leading causes of maternal mortality in the country (Ghana Health Service, 2007 ; Sedgh, 2010 ). Although Ghana’s abortion law permits termination of pregnancy in cases of rape, incest, fetal impairment, or when the pregnancy poses a risk to a woman’s physical or mental health—and only when services are provided by qualified health professionals in approved facilities (Guttmacher Institute, 2020 )—awareness and understanding of these legal provisions remain limited among women and some healthcare providers, contributing to continued reliance on unsafe abortion practices. Findings from the 2007 Ghana Maternal Health Survey and related analyses indicate that awareness of the legal status of abortion in Ghana is extremely low. Fewer than one in ten women were aware that abortion is permitted under certain circumstances, and awareness was similarly limited even among women who had previously undergone an abortion (IRIN News, 2009 ; Guttmacher Institute, 2013 ). Among urban youth in Accra, Kpogli et al. ( 2013 ) reported widespread misconceptions, with 87% of young women and 64% of young men either believing that abortion was entirely illegal or being unaware of the law’s provisions. These substantial knowledge gaps help explain the continued reliance on unsafe abortion methods despite Ghana’s relatively liberal legal framework. Facility- and community-based studies further confirm persistent deficiencies in legal knowledge among both health providers and the general population. In Kumasi, Aniteye et al. ( 2011 ) found that only about half of physicians at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital were aware that abortion is legal to preserve a woman’s life or health, with even fewer recognizing mental health indications as lawful grounds. Similarly, a study among female undergraduate students reported moderate but inconsistent knowledge of the abortion law, with just over half correctly identifying the legal conditions under which abortion is permitted (Oppong-Darko et al., 2017 ). Beyond Ghana, evidence from sub-Saharan Africa suggests that limited awareness of abortion laws among women, communities, and healthcare providers remains widespread, constituting a persistent barrier to access to safe and legal abortion services (Owolabi et al., 2019 ; Izugbara et al., 2020 ). These knowledge gaps intersect with key sociodemographic factors, particularly gender and education. Schwandt et al. ( 2013 ) found that in Ghana, male partners often exert strong influence over abortion decision-making—sometimes pressuring women into procedures or limiting their ability to seek safe care independently. Similarly, Oppong-Darko et al. ( 2017 ) reported that while knowledge of Ghana’s abortion law among female university students was described as “fairly good,” it remained inconsistent; only about half of students correctly identified the legal conditions, with awareness improving with year of study. These findings reinforce the role of gender and educational attainment as critical determinants of abortion knowledge and safe decision-making in the Ghanaian context. Against this backdrop, Fiapre, a peri-urban community in the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Region, presents a strategic site for further study. The town hosts major tertiary institutions such as the Catholic University of Ghana and the University of Energy and Natural Resources, drawing students from diverse regions and backgrounds. At the same time, agriculture and informal trading remain common livelihoods, reflecting its rural–urban transitional character. This demographic mix—students, professionals, farmers, and informal workers—creates a unique setting for examining how gender, education, and occupation interact to shape abortion knowledge and attitudes. Moreover, existing studies in Ghana have largely concentrated on urban centers like Accra and Kumasi, university populations, or health facilities (Baiden et al., 2006 ; Mote et al., 2010 ; Aniteye et al., 2011 ). Very few have examined peri-urban communities, where modern social change and traditional norms coexist. In addition, much of the evidence was collected over a decade ago and may not reflect present realities, particularly given Ghana’s demographic shifts, expanded access to education, and ongoing public health interventions. To date, no published study has specifically examined abortion-related knowledge and attitudes in Fiapre or the wider Sunyani West Municipality. By focusing on Fiapre, this study not only addresses a geographic gap but also provides updated insights into how knowledge and attitudes toward abortion are shaped in a peri-urban Ghanaian context. The findings will be valuable for designing reproductive health interventions tailored to similar transitional communities nationwide. 2. Methodology Research Design This study adopted a cross-sectional survey design to examine knowledge and attitudes toward abortion practices among individuals residing in Fiapre, a peri-urban community in Ghana’s Sunyani West Municipality. The cross-sectional approach was deemed appropriate for capturing data from a diverse group of participants at a single point in time, facilitating the identification of gendered and occupational patterns in abortion-related awareness and attitudes (Setia, 2016 ). Sampling size and procedure Due to the lack of a known population size for the Fiapre community, the study employed Cochran’s formula (Cochran, 1977 ) to estimate the required sample size, using a 95% confidence level, a 6% margin of error, and an assumed response distribution of 50%. This yielded an initial sample size of 268, which was adjusted to 298 to compensate for an anticipated 10% non-response rate. n₀ = (1.96)² × 0.5 × 0.5 / (0.06)² = 268 n_adjusted = 268 / 0.90 ≈ 298 However, due to time and resource constraints, a final sample of 240 participants was obtained. Convenience sampling was used to recruit eligible individuals from the Fiapre Health Facility, where prospective participants were approached during routine visits and invited to participate based on their availability and willingness to provide informed consent. While this non-probability approach limits generalizability, it allowed efficient access to the target population under the given constraints (Etikan, Musa, & Alkassim, 2016 ). A key inclusion criterion in the study was that every participant must be a resident of the Fiapre community and be 18 years of age or above. Participants As shown in Table 2.0 , a total of 240 individuals participated in the study. The majority of the respondents were female (80.4%). The age distribution of the participants was relatively balanced, with the largest group (35.0%) aged 26–35 years, followed by 32.5% aged 18–25 years, 29.2% aged 36–45 years, and only 3.3% above 50 years. In terms of education, nearly half of the participants (48.3%) had tertiary education, while 21.3% had no formal education, 19.2% had secondary education, and 11.3% had primary education. Most respondents in the study were identified as Christian (75.4%), with very few stating their status as Traditionalists for 1.7%. Regarding marital status, a higher majority, 60.0% were single. Employment distribution of the respondents was fairly balanced as 34.2% were informally employed, 34.2% were students, and 31.7% identified as formally employed (refer to Table 2.0 for a detailed profile of respondents). Table 2.0 Demographic Characteristics of study participants Variable Category Frequency (n = 240) Percentage (%) Age 18-25years 78 32.5% 26-35years 84 35.0% 36-45years 70 29.2% Above 50years 8 3.3% Gender Female 193 80.4% Male 47 19.6% Education No formal education 51 21.3% Primary 27 11.3% Secondary 46 19.2% Tertiary 116 48.3% Religion Christian 181 75.4% Muslim 55 22.9% Traditionalist 4 1.7% Marital Status Divorced / Separated 14 5.8% Married 77 32.1% Single 144 60.0% Widowed 5 2.1% Employment Formal 76 31.7% informal 82 34.2% Student 82 34.2% Source: Field Data 2025 Ethical Considerations Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Committee on Human Research, Publications and Ethics (CHRPE) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Every procedure of the study adhered to ethical guidelines for research involving human subjects as stipulated by the Committee. Participation of the study was entirely voluntary, and respondents provided written informed consent before data collection. Anonymity and confidentiality were assured, and participants were informed of their right to withdraw at any point without penalty. Data Collection Instrument Data were collected using a structured, pretested questionnaire aligned with the study’s objectives: assessing knowledge of abortion practices, attitudes toward abortion, and legal awareness. The instrument contained both closed-ended and Likert-scale items and was divided into four sections: Section A gathered demographic details such as age, gender, education, marital status, religion, and occupation, enabling analysis of background influences on responses. Section B assessed knowledge of safe and unsafe abortion practices, including understanding of procedures, settings, and associated risks. Section C examined attitudes toward abortion using a Likert scale, focusing on stigma, accessibility, and cultural or religious influences. Section D explored awareness of Ghana’s abortion laws, legal conditions for safe abortion, and knowledge of service availability. The questionnaire was pilot-tested for clarity and revised before final use. It enabled consistent, quantifiable data collection for statistical analysis. Data collection procedure Participants were approached during their visits to the hospital and invited to take part in the study. Each participant was provided with a detailed explanation of the study objectives, procedures, and the relevance of their participation. Informed consent was obtained prior to data collection. Consent forms were either read aloud to participants or read independently, depending on literacy level, to ensure voluntary participation and understanding that all information provided would be treated with strict confidentiality. Data collection was conducted in two modes, predominantly through electronic questionnaires, with a smaller proportion administered using paper-based forms. Participants who were able to read and write completed the questionnaires independently, either in paper format or via an electronic link. For participants who were unable to read, the questionnaire items were read aloud and translated into the appropriate local dialects to enhance comprehension, and their responses were entered electronically by the researchers. Data Analysis Completed questionnaires were initially exported from the Google Form into Microsoft Excel. Data cleaning and partial coding were done on the Excel before importing to the IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 27) for analysis. Data analysis was conducted in three stages: Descriptive Statistics: Frequencies and percentages were computed to summarize participants’ demographic characteristics, levels of knowledge, attitudes, and legal awareness related to abortion. Inferential Statistics: Chi-square tests were used to examine associations between gender and responses on knowledge, attitudes, and legal awareness items. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify demographic predictors (e.g., age, education, occupation) of legal awareness about abortion in Ghana. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Thematic Categorization: For complex knowledge and attitude items, responses were grouped under thematic headings (e.g., gender-based knowledge, occupational variations) to enhance interpretation and presentation. All results were presented in tables with accompanying narratives to highlight key findings and support interpretation. 3. Results Knowledge of Respondents on Safe and Unsafe Abortion The first part of the results section examines respondents’ knowledge of abortion practices, locations, methods, and complications, with analyses disaggregated by gender and occupation. Gender-Based Knowledge of Safe and Unsafe Abortion Practices As presented in the Table 3.0 below the overall, awareness of safe and unsafe abortion was high, though gender differences were evident. A greater proportion of females than males correctly identified health facilities as the appropriate setting for safe abortion (87.6% vs. 80.9%) and recognized the need for hygienic conditions (71.0% vs. 61.7%). However, fewer respondents were aware that procedures should be performed by qualified medical personnel, with females (49.7%) still demonstrating higher knowledge than males (40.4%). With respect to unsafe abortion, most respondents identified self-induced abortion as unsafe (87.0% of females and 85.1% of males). Similarly, higher proportions of females than males recognized abortions performed by untrained persons (74.1% vs. 66.0%) and the use of traditional herbs (55.4% vs. 42.6%) as unsafe. Across all indicators, female respondents consistently demonstrated greater awareness than males (refer to Table 3.0 for details) Table 3.0 Gender-Based Knowledge of Safe and Unsafe Abortion Practices Variables Gender Female Male Understanding of safe abortion. Response Frequency (n = 240) Percentage (%) Frequency (n = 240) Percentage (%) Abortion performed in a Health Facility No 24 12.4% 9 19.1% Yes 169 87.6% 38 80.9% Abortion performed under hygienic conditions No 56 29.0% 18 38.3% Yes 137 71.0% 29 61.7% Abortion performed by a qualified medical personnel member No 97 50.3% 28 59.6% Yes 96 49.7% 19 40.4% Understand unsafe abortion. Self-induced abortion No 25 13.0% 7 14.9% Yes 168 87.0% 40 85.1% Abortion performed by untrained persons No 50 25.9% 16 34.0% Yes 143 74.1% 31 66.0% Use of traditional herbs/medicine No 86 44.6% 27 57.4% Yes 107 55.4% 20 42.6% Source: Field data 2025 Knowledge and Perceptions Across Occupational Categories The Table 3.1 below shows that the knowledge varied considerably by occupational status. Almost all respondent (96.1%) employed in the formal sector identified hospitals as the appropriate location for abortion, compared with 69.5% of informally employed and 82.9% of students. Across all categories, respondents unanimously rejected alternative locations such as homes, secret places, and pharmaceutical shops. Medication-based methods were widely recognized (90.8% formal, 84.1% informal, 86.6% students), while surgical procedures were acknowledged at moderate levels across groups. Importantly, all respondents rejected unsafe methods such as inserting objects, physical abuse, or the use of traditional herbs. Table 3.1 Knowledge and Perceptions of Abortion Practices Across Occupational Categories Variable Occupation Formal informal Student Where do abortions typically take place? Response Frequency (n = 240) Percentage (%) Frequency (n = 240) Percentage (%) Frequency (n = 240) Percentage (%) Hospital No 3 3.9% 25 30.5% 14 17.1% Yes 73 96.1% 57 69.5% 68 82.9% Secret Place No 76 100.0% 82 100.0% 82 100.0% Yes 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Home No 76 100.0% 82 100.0% 82 100.0% Yes 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Pharmaceutical Shop No 76 100.0% 82 100.0% 82 100.0% Yes 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% What do you know that is used in abortion? Take Tablets No 7 9.2% 13 15.9% 11 13.4% Yes 69 90.8% 69 84.1% 71 86.6% Surgery No 36 47.4% 41 50.0% 44 53.7% Yes 40 52.6% 41 50.0% 38 46.3% Inserting objects into the Uterus No 76 100.0% 82 100.0% 82 100.0% Yes 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Physical abuse of the Body No 76 100.0% 82 100.0% 82 100.0% Yes 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Traditional Herbs No 76 100.0% 82 100.0% 82 100.0% Yes 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Source: Source: Field data 2025 Attitudes Toward Abortion by Gender As shown in the Table 3.2 below a significant gender differences emerged in attitudes toward abortion. The Table further shows that all p < 0.05. Although both genders reported similar levels of community acceptance of unsafe abortion (~ 63%), women more strongly supported accessible, safe abortion services (75.2% vs. 44.7%), opposed traditional methods (65.8% vs. 38.3%), and endorsed hospital-based procedures (66.9% vs. 46.8%). Women’s attitudes were also more influenced by religion and culture, with 50% reporting religious influence compared with 33% of men, and 48% reporting cultural influence compared with 32% of men. Notably, both genders opposed stigmatization of women who undergo abortions, though women were more definitive in this stance (83.4% vs. 63.9%). Table 3.2 Abortion Attitudes by Gender Gender Female Male Variable Response N(%) N(%) p- Value Unsafe abortion is acceptable in our community Strongly Agree 33(17.1%) 11(23.4% .007 Agree 90(46.6%) 19(40.4%) Neutral 21(10.9%) 12(25.5%) Disagree 46(23.8%) 3(6.4%) Strongly Disagree 3(1.6%) 2(4.3%) Women who have abortions should be stigmatized Strongly Agree 2(1.0%) 1(2.1%) .015 Agree 7(3.6%) 1(2.1%) Neutral 23(11.9%) 15(31.9%) Disagree 116 20 Disagree 116(60.1%) 20(42.6%) Strongly Disagree 45(23.3%) 10(21.3%) Safe abortion services should be easily accessible Strongly disagree 6(3.1%) 2(4.3%) .001 Disagree 16(8.3%) 9(19.1%) Neutral 26(13.5%) 15(31.9%) Agree 91(47.2%) 10(21.3%) Strongly Agree 54(28.0%) 11(23.4%) Traditional abortion methods are better than the medical method Strongly Agree 3(1.6%) 4(8.5%) .002 Agree 10(5.2%) 5(10.6%) Neutral 53(27.5%) 20(42.6%) Disagree 100(51.8%) 12(25.5%) Strongly Disagree 27(14.0%) 6(12.8%) Abortion should only be performed in hospitals Strongly disagree 6(3.1%) 2(4.3%) .001 Disagree 29(15.0%) 4(8.5%) Neutral 29(15.0%) 19(40.4%) Agree 70(36.3%) 8(17.0%) Strongly Agree 59(30.6%) 14(29.8%) Religious beliefs influence my views on abortion Strongly disagree 8(4.1%) 4(8.5%) .008 Disagree 37(19.2%) 6(12.8%) Neutral 50(25.9%) 22(46.8%) Agree 81(42.0%) 9(19.1%) Strongly Agree 17(8.8%) 6(12.8%) Cultural beliefs influence my views on abortion Strongly disagree 0(0.0%) 1(2.1%) .002 Disagree 43(22.3%) 6(12.8%) Neutral 57(29.5%) 25(53.2%) Agree 79(40.9%) 10(21.3%) Strongly Agree 14(7.3%) 5(10.6%) Source: Field Data 2025 Awareness and Knowledge of Abortion Laws Gender Differences in Awareness of Abortion Laws Both males and females showed limited awareness of Ghana’s abortion laws (Table 3.3 below). No significant gender difference was found in general awareness (42.0% females vs. 41.3% males disagreed; p = .538). Similarly, knowledge that safe abortion is legal under specific circumstances did not differ significantly (38.3% females vs. 19.6% males; p = .140). However, women were significantly more likely than men to know about the legal consequences of unsafe abortion (p = .024), that providers can legally offer abortion services (52.8% vs. 23.9%; p = .001), and where to access legal abortion services (25.4% vs. 10.9%; p = .001). Table 3.3 Gender Differences in Awareness and Knowledge of Abortion Laws in Ghana Variable Response Gender Female Male p- Value I am aware of Ghana's abortion laws Strongly Disagree 15(7.8%) 4(8.7%) .538 Disagree 81(42.0%) 19(41.3%) Neutral 46(23.8%) 14(30.4%) Agree 44(22.8%) 6(13.0%) Strongly agree 7(3.6%) 3(6.5%) Safe abortion is legal under certain circumstances in Ghana Strongly Disagree 9(4.7%) 3(6.5%) .140 Disagree 39(20.2%) 12(26.1%) Neutral 40(20.7%) 15(32.6%) Agree 74(38.3%) 9(19.6%) Strongly agree 31(16.1%) 7(15.2%) There are legal consequences for unsafe abortion practices Strongly Disagree 6(3.1%) 2(4.3%) .024 Disagree 67(34.7%) 9(19.6%) Neutral 53(27.5%) 23(50.0%) Agree 52(26.9%) 7(15.2%) Strongly agree 15(7.8%) 5(10.9%) Healthcare providers can legally provide abortion services Strongly Disagree 2(1.0%) 4(8.7%) .001 Disagree 28(14.5%) 3(6.5%) Neutral 35(18.1%) 19(41.3%) Agree 102(52.8%) 11(23.9%) Strongly agree 26(13.5%) 9(19.6%) I know where to find legal abortion services Strongly Disagree 20(10.4%) 6(13.0%) .001 Disagree 69(35.8%) 7(15.2%) Neutral 50(25.9%) 25(54.3%) Agree 49(25.4%) 5(10.9%) Strongly agree 5(2.6%) 3(6.5% Source: Field Data 2025 Predictors of Awareness of Abortion Legality The Table 3.4 below presents the binary logistic regression model. As reveal in the Table education emerge as the sole significant predictor of awareness that abortion is legal in Ghana, χ²(3) = 16.132, p = .001. Compared to respondents with tertiary education, those with no formal education (OR = 0.118, p = .004) and secondary education (OR = 0.179, p = .001) were significantly less likely to be aware of the law. Other demographic variables—including age, gender, marital status, and occupation—were not significant predictors. This highlights the central role of education in shaping knowledge of abortion policy. Table 3.4 Binary Logistic Regression Predicting Participants’ Awareness of the Legality of Abortion in Ghana Based on Demographic Factors Predictor B S.E. Wald df Sig. Exp(B) Age 2.291 3 .514 15–25 years -0.687 1.394 0.243 1 .622 0.503 26–35 years -0.012 1.341 0.000 1 .993 0.988 36–45 years 0.116 1.321 0.008 1 .930 1.123 Gender (Male) 0.659 0.476 1.910 1 .167 1.932 Education 16.132 3 .001* No formal education -2.137 0.741 8.326 1 .004* 0.118 Primary -21.094 7636.30 0.000 1 .998 0.000 Secondary -1.721 0.506 11.547 1 .001* 0.179 Tertiary - - - - - - Marital Status 0.525 3 .913 Divorced / Separated -0.540 1.587 0.116 1 .734 0.583 Married -0.293 1.439 0.041 1 .839 0.746 Widowed -0.056 1.429 0.002 1 .969 0.946 Occupation 2.088 2 .352 Informal -0.499 0.428 1.363 1 .243 0.607 Student -0.796 0.613 1.684 1 .194 0.451 Constant 0.210 1.662 0.016 1 .899 1.234 Field Data 2025, *Statistically significant at p < 0.05 4. Discussion Gender Differences in Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Abortion This study found notable gender differences in knowledge and attitudes related to abortion practices, laws, and services in Ghana. Female respondents consistently demonstrated greater awareness of both safe and unsafe abortion practices than males. For instance, more women than men correctly identified health facilities (87.6% vs. 80.9%) and hygienic conditions (71.0% vs. 61.7%) as essential components of safe abortion. These findings are consistent with recent research in Ghana showing generally low awareness of abortion laws but higher knowledge among women with greater educational attainment and exposure to reproductive health information (Cook et al., 2024 ; Guttmacher Institute, 2011 ). Evidence also suggests that contact with health services—particularly during pregnancy and antenatal care—serves as an important opportunity for reproductive health education, including counselling related to abortion and pregnancy options (Biney, 2019 ; Zegeye et al., 2022 ). Awareness that safe abortions should be performed by qualified medical personnel was relatively low across both genders (49.7% females vs. 40.4% males). This shortfall is concerning given the World Health Organization ( 2022 ) guideline, which emphasizes that safe abortion care must be delivered by trained and competent health professionals. In Ghana, stigma and legal ambiguity surrounding abortion also impede provider visibility and openness. For example, Schwandt et al. ( 2013 ) documented that healthcare workers sometimes conceal or misclassify abortion services to avoid social backlash or legal repercussions. Similarly, Aniteye and Mayhew ( 2013 ) found that institutional stigma and unclear policy environments constrain providers, limiting the availability of information about qualified personnel and reinforcing public misconceptions. The pattern of female predominance in abortion-related knowledge extended to unsafe practices, with more women than men correctly identifying self-induced abortions, the use of traditional herbs, and procedures performed by untrained individuals as dangerous. This gendered disparity may partly reflect men’s limited engagement in reproductive health education, despite their substantial influence over decision-making related to women’s sexual and reproductive health (Ganle & Dery, 2015 ). Broader reviews on male involvement in maternal and reproductive health similarly highlight that men often occupy decisive roles while remaining insufficiently informed or involved in health education initiatives (Langen, 2005 ). Evidence from other African contexts reinforces the implications of these dynamics. In Uganda, men’s negative perceptions and opposition to abortion have been shown to impede women’s access to safe or legal abortion services, often pushing women toward clandestine and unsafe procedures (Moore, Jagwe-Wadda, & Bankole, 2011 ). Likewise, studies among South African university students indicate that men are more likely than women to express restrictive views on abortion, attitudes that may further constrain women’s reproductive autonomy (Patel & Kooverjee, 2009 ). In terms of attitudes, women in the present study were more decisive in supporting safe abortion services, rejecting traditional methods, and endorsing hospitals as appropriate settings for abortion care. Men, by contrast, more frequently selected neutral responses. This pattern may suggest emotional or social detachment from abortion-related issues, plausibly reflecting the reduced personal relevance of pregnancy outcomes for men and their limited exposure to reproductive health education (Ganle & Dery, 2015 ). Although both genders largely opposed stigmatizing women who have had abortions, women expressed this position more strongly. Collectively, these findings underscore the importance of gender-sensitive reproductive health interventions that actively engage men, enhance their knowledge, and foster supportive and informed participation in abortion-related decision-making (World Health Organization, 2019 ). Occupational and Educational Influences on Knowledge The study also highlighted occupational and educational disparities in knowledge of abortion practices. Respondents in formal employment and students showed greater awareness of safe abortion environments compared to those in informal employment. These differences are consistent with broader evidence linking educational attainment and socioeconomic position to reproductive health knowledge. For instance, analyses of nationally representative data from Uganda show that individuals with higher levels of formal education demonstrate significantly greater sexual and reproductive health knowledge than those with lower educational attainment (Asiimwe et al., 2014 ). Similarly, research from Ghana and Mozambique shows that women with lower education and limited socioeconomic opportunities are more likely to face barriers in accessing safe abortion services, increasing their reliance on unsafe methods (Boah et al., 2019 ; Coast & Murray, 2016 ). While not all evidence suggests unanimous rejection of unsafe abortion locations, research in Ghana shows that many women still rely on pharmacies and other informal outlets to obtain medication abortion, particularly misoprostol (Schwandt et al., 2021 ). Awareness and use of medication abortion appear to be increasing, especially among younger women, and are often perceived as safer and more discreet than surgical methods (Tackie-Boateng et al., 2022 ). By contrast, familiarity with surgical procedures remains more limited, partly because women associate them with higher risks, cost, and administrative hurdles in health facilities (Owoo & Lambon-Quayefio, 2019 ). Qualitative research by Aniteye, O’Brien, and Mayhew ( 2016 ) further demonstrates that fear, stigma, and misinformation significantly discourage women from seeking facility-based surgical abortion services in Ghana. Encouragingly, participants across occupational categories expressed strong disapproval of highly unsafe abortion methods, such as object insertion, physical abuse, and the use of unregulated herbal concoctions. This finding aligns with the World Health Organization’s sustained advocacy for safe abortion care and its global efforts to eliminate life-threatening practices associated with unsafe abortion (World Health Organization, 2021 ). Nevertheless, evidence from sub-Saharan Africa indicates that such unsafe methods remain common in settings where access to safe and legal abortion services is limited, underscoring the need for continued public health messaging, service expansion, and policy reform (Bankole et al., 2020 ). Despite this general rejection of extreme unsafe practices, informally employed individuals in the present study demonstrated comparatively lower levels of comprehensive abortion knowledge. This pattern mirrors broader structural inequalities documented in the literature, which show that individuals—particularly women—engaged in informal employment often experience reduced exposure to structured reproductive health education and limited access to formal health services (International Monetary Fund, 2021 ; World Health Organization, 2015 ). Such disparities may constrain awareness of safe abortion options and contribute to continued reliance on informal or suboptimal sources of care. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of tailoring reproductive health interventions to reach informally employed populations, ensuring equitable access to accurate information and safe abortion services across occupational groups. Legal Awareness of Abortion Laws in Ghana Despite widespread discussion of abortion practices, knowledge of Ghana’s abortion laws remains limited. In our study, a substantial proportion of both men and women misidentified legal provisions, consistent with earlier work by Aniteye and Mayhew ( 2013 ), who found widespread confusion about the law, and the Guttmacher Institute ( 2017 ), which highlighted persistent gaps in legal literacy across the country. Women, however, demonstrated comparatively better knowledge in certain areas—for example, being more aware of the role of health professionals and service points. This aligns with Ganle et al. ( 2015 ), who reported gendered differences in exposure to reproductive health information, suggesting the need for inclusive legal education campaigns targeting both genders. Predictors of Legal Awareness: The Role of Education Binary logistic regression highlights educational attainment—particularly tertiary-level education—as a key predictor of legal awareness regarding abortion laws in Ghana. Baruwa et al. ( 2022 ) found that women with secondary and higher education were significantly more likely to be aware of the legal status and processes around abortion, compared to those without formal schooling. This aligns with Nyarko and Potter ( 2020 ), whose Bayesian multilevel analysis of Ghanaian data demonstrated that education—alongside wealth and marital status—was a strong individual-level determinant of abortion-related knowledge and behavior. Similarly, Boah et al. ( 2019 ) showed that women with higher education were less likely to engage in unsafe abortion practices compared to those with no education. Evidence from other African contexts reinforces these findings. In Ethiopia, Yalew et al. ( 2016 ) reported that women with secondary or higher education were more likely to seek safe, facility-based abortion care. Likewise, Bankole et al. ( 2015 ), in a multi-country study across Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, observed that higher educational attainment consistently predicted greater awareness of abortion laws and safer decision-making. Taken together, these studies affirm that education not only improves reproductive decision-making in Ghana but also reflects a broader African pattern where higher educational attainment enhances both legal awareness and access to safe abortion services. Interestingly, other demographic variables—such as age, marital status, and occupation—did not significantly affect knowledge of abortion law in Ghana once educational level was taken into account. In fact, a recent comparative analysis of legal awareness in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire found that in Ghana, legal knowledge did not meaningfully vary across demographic groups, suggesting that education plays a central equalizing role (Bell et al., 2020 ). Supporting this pattern, regional studies—including Yalew et al. ( 2016 ) in Ethiopia and Bankole et al. ( 2015 ) across multiple African countries—consistently demonstrate that higher educational attainment predicts greater legal and reproductive health literacy. Together, these findings imply that interventions aiming to improve legal awareness should focus on extending educational opportunities and leveraging informal community-based channels—such as peer groups, media, and local networks—to reach individuals lacking formal schooling. 5. Conclusion This study reveals persistent gaps in knowledge and legal awareness of abortion in Ghana, with women generally more informed than men and education emerging as the strongest predictor of accurate knowledge. Despite some awareness of safe practices, misconceptions about surgical methods and limited understanding of the legal framework remain widespread 6. Recommendations Based on the study findings, the following recommendations are proposed: Foremost, there should be an expansion of reproductive health education to men as the study reveal a clear gendered gap in abortion knowledge and attitudes. Targeted interventions should engage men through male-focused health education initiatives in schools, workplaces, religious settings, and community forums. This will help bridge knowledge gaps and encourage informed, supportive male involvement in reproductive health decisions. Also, priority should be given to legal literacy campaigns, generally the study found lack of awareness about Ghana’s abortion laws and this highlights the need for nationwide legal literacy campaigns. These should be community-based and delivered in accessible formats (radio, mobile clinics, local language materials) to reach populations with limited formal education, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas. Though, this should be done with care not to encourage rampant youth involvement in abortion. Again, sexual and reproductive health, including legal abortion rights, should be integrated more robustly into secondary and tertiary education curricula. These platforms provide ideal settings for informed discussions and critical engagement on issues of bodily autonomy, legality, and safe health practices. Similar caution should be exercise here to project mass acceptance of abortion. More so, informally employed individuals were the least informed about safe abortion practices and legal services in this study. With this, public health interventions should include workplace health education in markets, trade associations, and vocational settings to reach this group effectively. Furthermore, healthcare providers should be trained not only in the safe provision of abortion services but also in client education. Additionally, community dialogues led by trusted figures (nurses, midwives, religious leaders) can demystify abortion and reduce stigma, encouraging informed conversations around the topic. Lastly, mass media and social media campaigns should reinforce the importance of using trained medical personnel, accessing facility-based services, and understanding one's rights under the law. Creative storytelling, testimonials, and visual content can help make these messages relatable and memorable. Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Committee on Human Research, Publications and Ethics (CHRPE) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). All procedures were conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines for research involving human participants as stipulated by the Committee. Participation in the study was entirely voluntary. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection. Participants were assured of anonymity and confidentiality of their responses and were informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any stage without any penalty or negative consequences. Consent for publication Not applicable. The manuscript does not contain any individual person’s identifiable data, images, or videos. Availability of data and materials The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to ethical restrictions and the need to protect participant confidentiality, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Funding The study did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Authors’ contributions R.A. conceived and designed the study, coordinated and conducted data collection, performed data analysis and interpretation, and drafted the manuscript. G.A. contributed to data collection, data management, and literature review. K.Y.H. assisted with data collection and preliminary data analysis. G.M.K. contributed to data analysis, interpretation of findings, and critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content. C.A. supported data collection, literature review, and manuscript editing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Acknowledgements The authors thank the management and staff of the Fiapre Health Facility for their cooperation during data collection. We are also grateful to all study participants for their time and willingness to share their views and experiences. Appreciation is extended to individuals who supported questionnaire administration and data collection. References Aboagye PK, Gebreselassie H, Asare GQ, Mitchell EMH, Addy J. An assessment of unsafe abortion in Ghana. Afr J Reprod Health. 2007;11(2):90–101. Aniteye P, Mayhew SH. Shaping legal abortion provision in Ghana: Using policy theory to understand provider-related obstacles to policy implementation. Health Res Policy Syst. 2013;11(23):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4505-11-23 . Aniteye P, Mayhew SH, Biddlecom A. Ghanaian doctors’ attitudes toward abortion and their willingness to provide abortion services. Int Perspect Sex Reproductive Health. 2011;37(3):114–21. https://doi.org/10.1363/3711411 . Aniteye P, O’Brien B, Mayhew SH. Stigmatized and invisible: Exploring abortion access and practice in Ghana. Health Policy Plann. 2016;31(10):1310–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czw036 . Asiimwe JB, Ndugga P, Mushomi J, Ntozi JPM. 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Cochran WG. Sampling techniques. 3rd ed. Wiley; 1977. Cook RJ, Erdman JN, Dickens BM. Gender, human rights, and abortion law in sub-Saharan Africa: Emerging trends and challenges. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2024;164(1):112–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.15124 . Etikan I, Musa SA, Alkassim RS. Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. Am J Theoretical Appl Stat. 2016;5(1):1–4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11 . Ganle JK, Dery I. What men don’t know can hurt women’s health: A qualitative study of the barriers to and opportunities for men’s involvement in maternal healthcare in Ghana. Reproductive Health. 2015;12(93):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-015-0083-y . Ganle JK, Dery I, Manu AA. If I go with him, I can’t talk with other women: Understanding women’s resistance to, and strategies for, negotiating male involvement in maternal healthcare in Ghana. Soc Sci Med. 2015;133:211–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.03.030 . Ghana Health Service. (2007). Reproductive and child health annual report . Ghana Health Service. Guttmacher Institute. (2011). Abortion in Ghana. Guttmacher Inst. https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/abortion-ghana Guttmacher Institute. Abortion in Ghana. Guttmacher Institute; 2013. Guttmacher Institute. Abortion in Ghana. Guttmacher Institute; 2017. Guttmacher Institute. (2020). Abortion in Ghana. Guttmacher Inst. https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/abortion-ghana International Monetary Fund. Women in the labor force: The role of fiscal policies. International Monetary Fund; 2021. IRIN News. Ghana: Unsafe abortion remains a leading cause of maternal deaths. IRIN News; 2009. Izugbara CO, Kimani-Murage E, Egesa C. Young people’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to abortion in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review. Afr J Reprod Health. 2020;24(2):121–38. Kpogli RN, Osei-Bonsu E, Asare GQ. Knowledge and perceptions of abortion legality among urban youth in Accra, Ghana. Afr J Reprod Health. 2013;17(4):86–95. Langen TT. Gender power imbalance on women’s capacity to negotiate self-protection against HIV/AIDS in Botswana and South Africa. Afr Health Sci. 2005;5(3):188–97. Moore AM, Jagwe-Wadda G, Bankole A. Men’s attitudes about abortion in Uganda. J Biosoc Sci. 2011;43(1):31–45. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021932010000603 . Mote CV, Otupiri E, Hindin MJ, Larsen-Reindorf RE. Factors associated with induced abortion among women in Ghana. Afr J Reprod Health. 2010;14(4):115–24. Nyarko SH, Potter L. Bayesian multilevel analysis of factors associated with induced abortion in Ghana. BMJ Open. 2020;10(8):e036427. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036427 . Oppong-Darko P, Adomako AA, Boamah EA. Knowledge of abortion law and attitudes toward abortion among female undergraduate students in Ghana. Afr J Reprod Health. 2017;21(4):96–105. Oppong-Darko P, Adomako AA, Boamah EA. Knowledge of abortion law and attitudes toward abortion among female undergraduate students in Ghana. Afr J Reprod Health. 2017;21(4):96–105. Owolabi OO, Biddlecom A, Whitehead H, Akinrinola B. Knowledge of abortion legality and its association with abortion-related outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. Stud Fam Plann. 2019;50(3):241–56. https://doi.org/10.1111/sifp.12087 . Owoo NS, Lambon-Quayefio MP. National health insurance, socioeconomic status, and maternal healthcare utilisation in Ghana. Health Econ Rev. 2019;9(1):1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13561-019-0222-3 . Patel CJ, Kooverjee T. Abortion and contraception: Attitudes of South African university students. Health Care Women Int. 2009;30(6):550–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399330902886105 . Say L, Chou D, Gemmill A, Tunçalp Ö, Moller AB, Daniels J, Gülmezoglu AM, Temmerman M, Alkema L. Global causes of maternal death: A WHO systematic analysis. Lancet Global Health. 2014;2(6):e323–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(14)70227-X . Schwandt HM, Creanga AA, Adanu RMK, Danso KA, Agbenyega T, Hindin MJ. Pathways to unsafe abortion in Ghana: The role of male partners, women’s autonomy, and health system constraints. J Biosoc Sci. 2013;45(5):1–17. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021932012000787 . Schwandt HM, Creanga AA, Danso KA, Agbenyega T, Danso KA, Hindin MJ. Informal sector access to misoprostol for abortion in Ghana. Contraception. 2021;104(3):268–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2021.04.009 . Sedgh G. Induced abortion: Incidence and trends worldwide from 1995 to 2008. Lancet. 2010;376(9742):625–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60588-1 . Setia MS. Methodology series module 3: Cross-sectional studies. Indian J Dermatology. 2016;61(3):261–4. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5154.182410 . Tackie-Boateng A, Adjei G, Gbagbo FY. Knowledge and use of medication abortion among women in Ghana. BMC Women’s Health. 2022;22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-01977-0 . Article 412. World Health Organization. Health in 2015: From MDGs to SDGs. World Health Organization; 2015. World Health Organization. WHO consolidated guideline on self-care interventions for health: Sexual and reproductive health and rights. World Health Organization; 2019. World Health Organization. (2021). Abortion care guideline. World Health Organ. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240039483 World Health Organization. Abortion care guideline. World Health Organization; 2021. World Health Organization. (2022). Abortion care guideline. World Health Organ. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240039483 Yalew SA, Zeleke BM, Mekonnen ZA. Demand for safe abortion services and associated factors among women of reproductive age in Ethiopia. BMC Women’s Health. 2016;16., Article 40. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-016-0322-7 . Zegeye EA, Olorunsaiye CZ, Ahinkorah BO, Seidu A-A, Budu E, Ameyaw EK, Yaya S. Women’s decision-making capacity and contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis of demographic and health surveys. Reproductive Health. 2022;19(1):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01340-w . Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8602706","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":574607450,"identity":"41c10c2c-15ae-4736-8910-008d5e4b8056","order_by":0,"name":"Richard 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Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), abortions are safe when performed using recommended protocols appropriate to gestational age and carried out by trained professionals in environments that meet minimum medical standards. Safe abortion procedures may involve outpatient surgical interventions or the use of medications (medical abortion). By contrast, unsafe abortion refers to pregnancy terminations carried out by unqualified individuals, in environments that do not meet minimum medical standards, or both. Globally, an estimated 29% of all pregnancies end in induced abortion, corresponding to a rate of approximately 39 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15\u0026ndash;49 years (Bearak et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e; WHO, 2021). Alarmingly, in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, around three out of four abortions remain unsafe (WHO, 2021). Women with unintended pregnancies who lack access to safe abortion services face heightened health risks. In low-resource settings, poverty, restrictive legal frameworks, and limited health infrastructure increase reliance on unsafe abortion practices, which continue to be a significant contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality. Recent estimates indicate that unsafe abortion accounts for approximately 4.7\u0026ndash;13.2% of global maternal deaths, translating into tens of thousands of preventable deaths annually, alongside millions of women experiencing serious short- and long-term health complications (WHO, 2021; Say et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn Ghana, unsafe abortion remains a significant public health concern. Earlier estimates reported a maternal mortality ratio of approximately 580 per 100,000 live births (Aboagye et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e). During the mid-2000s, complications arising from unsafe abortion were estimated to account for about 11% of maternal deaths, ranking unsafe abortion among the leading causes of maternal mortality in the country (Ghana Health Service, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e; Sedgh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e). Although Ghana\u0026rsquo;s abortion law permits termination of pregnancy in cases of rape, incest, fetal impairment, or when the pregnancy poses a risk to a woman\u0026rsquo;s physical or mental health\u0026mdash;and only when services are provided by qualified health professionals in approved facilities (Guttmacher Institute, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e)\u0026mdash;awareness and understanding of these legal provisions remain limited among women and some healthcare providers, contributing to continued reliance on unsafe abortion practices.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFindings from the 2007 Ghana Maternal Health Survey and related analyses indicate that awareness of the legal status of abortion in Ghana is extremely low. Fewer than one in ten women were aware that abortion is permitted under certain circumstances, and awareness was similarly limited even among women who had previously undergone an abortion (IRIN News, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e; Guttmacher Institute, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Among urban youth in Accra, Kpogli et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e) reported widespread misconceptions, with 87% of young women and 64% of young men either believing that abortion was entirely illegal or being unaware of the law\u0026rsquo;s provisions. These substantial knowledge gaps help explain the continued reliance on unsafe abortion methods despite Ghana\u0026rsquo;s relatively liberal legal framework.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFacility- and community-based studies further confirm persistent deficiencies in legal knowledge among both health providers and the general population. In Kumasi, Aniteye et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e) found that only about half of physicians at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital were aware that abortion is legal to preserve a woman\u0026rsquo;s life or health, with even fewer recognizing mental health indications as lawful grounds. Similarly, a study among female undergraduate students reported moderate but inconsistent knowledge of the abortion law, with just over half correctly identifying the legal conditions under which abortion is permitted (Oppong-Darko et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e). Beyond Ghana, evidence from sub-Saharan Africa suggests that limited awareness of abortion laws among women, communities, and healthcare providers remains widespread, constituting a persistent barrier to access to safe and legal abortion services (Owolabi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Izugbara et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese knowledge gaps intersect with key sociodemographic factors, particularly gender and education. Schwandt et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e) found that in Ghana, male partners often exert strong influence over abortion decision-making\u0026mdash;sometimes pressuring women into procedures or limiting their ability to seek safe care independently. Similarly, Oppong-Darko et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e) reported that while knowledge of Ghana\u0026rsquo;s abortion law among female university students was described as \u0026ldquo;fairly good,\u0026rdquo; it remained inconsistent; only about half of students correctly identified the legal conditions, with awareness improving with year of study. These findings reinforce the role of gender and educational attainment as critical determinants of abortion knowledge and safe decision-making in the Ghanaian context.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAgainst this backdrop, Fiapre, a peri-urban community in the Sunyani West Municipality of the Bono Region, presents a strategic site for further study. The town hosts major tertiary institutions such as the Catholic University of Ghana and the University of Energy and Natural Resources, drawing students from diverse regions and backgrounds. At the same time, agriculture and informal trading remain common livelihoods, reflecting its rural\u0026ndash;urban transitional character. This demographic mix\u0026mdash;students, professionals, farmers, and informal workers\u0026mdash;creates a unique setting for examining how gender, education, and occupation interact to shape abortion knowledge and attitudes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoreover, existing studies in Ghana have largely concentrated on urban centers like Accra and Kumasi, university populations, or health facilities (Baiden et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e; Mote et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e; Aniteye et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). Very few have examined peri-urban communities, where modern social change and traditional norms coexist. In addition, much of the evidence was collected over a decade ago and may not reflect present realities, particularly given Ghana\u0026rsquo;s demographic shifts, expanded access to education, and ongoing public health interventions. To date, no published study has specifically examined abortion-related knowledge and attitudes in Fiapre or the wider Sunyani West Municipality.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy focusing on Fiapre, this study not only addresses a geographic gap but also provides updated insights into how knowledge and attitudes toward abortion are shaped in a peri-urban Ghanaian context. The findings will be valuable for designing reproductive health interventions tailored to similar transitional communities nationwide.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Methodology","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResearch Design\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study adopted a cross-sectional survey design to examine knowledge and attitudes toward abortion practices among individuals residing in Fiapre, a peri-urban community in Ghana\u0026rsquo;s Sunyani West Municipality. The cross-sectional approach was deemed appropriate for capturing data from a diverse group of participants at a single point in time, facilitating the identification of gendered and occupational patterns in abortion-related awareness and attitudes (Setia, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSampling size and procedure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDue to the lack of a known population size for the Fiapre community, the study employed Cochran\u0026rsquo;s formula (Cochran, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1977\u003c/span\u003e) to estimate the required sample size, using a 95% confidence level, a 6% margin of error, and an assumed response distribution of 50%. This yielded an initial sample size of 268, which was adjusted to 298 to compensate for an anticipated 10% non-response rate.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003en₀ = (1.96)\u0026sup2; \u0026times; 0.5 \u0026times; 0.5 / (0.06)\u0026sup2; = 268\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003en_adjusted\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;268 / 0.90\u0026thinsp;\u0026asymp;\u0026thinsp;298\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, due to time and resource constraints, a final sample of 240 participants was obtained. Convenience sampling was used to recruit eligible individuals from the Fiapre Health Facility, where prospective participants were approached during routine visits and invited to participate based on their availability and willingness to provide informed consent. While this non-probability approach limits generalizability, it allowed efficient access to the target population under the given constraints (Etikan, Musa, \u0026amp; Alkassim, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). A key inclusion criterion in the study was that every participant must be a resident of the Fiapre community and be 18 years of age or above.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParticipants\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2.0\u003c/span\u003e, a total of 240 individuals participated in the study. The majority of the respondents were female (80.4%). The age distribution of the participants was relatively balanced, with the largest group (35.0%) aged 26\u0026ndash;35 years, followed by 32.5% aged 18\u0026ndash;25 years, 29.2% aged 36\u0026ndash;45 years, and only 3.3% above 50 years. In terms of education, nearly half of the participants (48.3%) had tertiary education, while 21.3% had no formal education, 19.2% had secondary education, and 11.3% had primary education. Most respondents in the study were identified as Christian (75.4%), with very few stating their status as Traditionalists for 1.7%. Regarding marital status, a higher majority, 60.0% were single. Employment distribution of the respondents was fairly balanced as 34.2% were informally employed, 34.2% were students, and 31.7% identified as formally employed (refer to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2.0\u003c/span\u003e for a detailed profile of respondents).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"colspec\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ctable id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2.0\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDemographic Characteristics of study participants\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/caption\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrequency (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;240)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e18-25years\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e78\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e32.5%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e26-35years\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e84\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e35.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e36-45years\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e70\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e29.2%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbove 50years\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3.3%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e193\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e80.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e47\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e19.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEducation\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo formal education\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e51\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e21.3%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrimary\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e27\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e11.3%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondary\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e46\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e19.2%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTertiary\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e116\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e48.3%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"3\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReligion\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChristian\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e181\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e75.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMuslim\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e55\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e22.9%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraditionalist\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.7%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarital Status\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDivorced / Separated\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5.8%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarried\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e77\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e32.1%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSingle\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e144\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e60.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWidowed\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2.1%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"3\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmployment\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFormal\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e31.7%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003einformal\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e34.2%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudent\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e34.2%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003ctfoot\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource: Field Data 2025\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tfoot\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical Considerations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthical approval\u0026nbsp;for this study was obtained from the Committee on Human Research, Publications and Ethics (CHRPE) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Every procedure of the study adhered to ethical guidelines for research involving human subjects as stipulated by the Committee. Participation of the study was entirely voluntary, and respondents provided written informed consent before data collection. Anonymity and confidentiality were assured, and participants were informed of their right to withdraw at any point without penalty.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Collection Instrument\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData were collected using a structured, pretested questionnaire aligned with the study\u0026rsquo;s objectives: assessing knowledge of abortion practices, attitudes toward abortion, and legal awareness. The instrument contained both closed-ended and Likert-scale items and was divided into four sections: Section A gathered demographic details such as age, gender, education, marital status, religion, and occupation, enabling analysis of background influences on responses. Section B assessed knowledge of safe and unsafe abortion practices, including understanding of procedures, settings, and associated risks. Section C examined attitudes toward abortion using a Likert scale, focusing on stigma, accessibility, and cultural or religious influences. Section D explored awareness of Ghana\u0026rsquo;s abortion laws, legal conditions for safe abortion, and knowledge of service availability. The questionnaire was pilot-tested for clarity and revised before final use. It enabled consistent, quantifiable data collection for statistical analysis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData collection procedure\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants were approached during their visits to the hospital and invited to take part in the study. Each participant was provided with a detailed explanation of the study objectives, procedures, and the relevance of their participation. Informed consent was obtained prior to data collection. Consent forms were either read aloud to participants or read independently, depending on literacy level, to ensure voluntary participation and understanding that all information provided would be treated with strict confidentiality. Data collection was conducted in two modes, predominantly through electronic questionnaires, with a smaller proportion administered using paper-based forms. Participants who were able to read and write completed the questionnaires independently, either in paper format or via an electronic link. For participants who were unable to read, the questionnaire items were read aloud and translated into the appropriate local dialects to enhance comprehension, and their responses were entered electronically by the researchers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompleted questionnaires were initially exported from the Google Form into Microsoft Excel. Data cleaning and partial coding were done on the Excel before importing to the IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 27) for analysis. Data analysis was conducted in three stages: Descriptive Statistics: Frequencies and percentages were computed to summarize participants\u0026rsquo; demographic characteristics, levels of knowledge, attitudes, and legal awareness related to abortion. Inferential Statistics: Chi-square tests were used to examine associations between gender and responses on knowledge, attitudes, and legal awareness items. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify demographic predictors (e.g., age, education, occupation) of legal awareness about abortion in Ghana. Statistical significance was set at \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05. Thematic Categorization: For complex knowledge and attitude items, responses were grouped under thematic headings (e.g., gender-based knowledge, occupational variations) to enhance interpretation and presentation. All results were presented in tables with accompanying narratives to highlight key findings and support interpretation.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. Results","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKnowledge of Respondents on Safe and Unsafe Abortion\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first part of the results section examines respondents\u0026rsquo; knowledge of abortion practices, locations, methods, and complications, with analyses disaggregated by gender and occupation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGender-Based Knowledge of Safe and Unsafe Abortion Practices\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs presented in the Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3.0\u003c/span\u003e below the overall, awareness of safe and unsafe abortion was high, though gender differences were evident. A greater proportion of females than males correctly identified health facilities as the appropriate setting for safe abortion (87.6% vs. 80.9%) and recognized the need for hygienic conditions (71.0% vs. 61.7%). However, fewer respondents were aware that procedures should be performed by qualified medical personnel, with females (49.7%) still demonstrating higher knowledge than males (40.4%).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith respect to unsafe abortion, most respondents identified self-induced abortion as unsafe (87.0% of females and 85.1% of males). Similarly, higher proportions of females than males recognized abortions performed by untrained persons (74.1% vs. 66.0%) and the use of traditional herbs (55.4% vs. 42.6%) as unsafe. Across all indicators, female respondents consistently demonstrated greater awareness than males (refer to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3.0\u003c/span\u003e for details)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n\u003ctable id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3.0\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGender-Based Knowledge of Safe and Unsafe Abortion Practices\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/caption\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"height: 70px;\" rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"height: 70px;\" rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"height: 35px;\" colspan=\"4\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"height: 35px;\" colspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth style=\"height: 35px;\" colspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderstanding of safe abortion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResponse\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;240)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;240)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 70px;\" rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbortion performed in a Health Facility\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e12.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e19.1%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e169\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e87.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e38\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e80.9%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 70px;\" rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbortion performed under hygienic conditions\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e56\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e29.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e38.3%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e137\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e71.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e29\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e61.7%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 70px;\" rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbortion performed by a qualified medical personnel member\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e97\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e50.3%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e59.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e96\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e49.7%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e40.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderstand unsafe abortion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSelf-induced abortion\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e13.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e14.9%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e168\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e87.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e85.1%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbortion performed by untrained persons\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e25.9%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e16\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e34.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e143\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e74.1%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e31\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e66.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUse of traditional herbs/medicine\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e86\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e44.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e27\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e57.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 35px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e107\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e55.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 35px;\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e42.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003ctfoot\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 13px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 13px;\" colspan=\"6\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource: Field data 2025\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tfoot\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKnowledge and Perceptions Across Occupational Categories\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3.1\u003c/span\u003e below shows that the knowledge varied considerably by occupational status. Almost all respondent (96.1%) employed in the formal sector identified hospitals as the appropriate location for abortion, compared with 69.5% of informally employed and 82.9% of students. Across all categories, respondents unanimously rejected alternative locations such as homes, secret places, and pharmaceutical shops. Medication-based methods were widely recognized (90.8% formal, 84.1% informal, 86.6% students), while surgical procedures were acknowledged at moderate levels across groups. Importantly, all respondents rejected unsafe methods such as inserting objects, physical abuse, or the use of traditional herbs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"colspec\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ctable id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3.1\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnowledge and Perceptions of Abortion Practices Across Occupational Categories\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/caption\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth colspan=\"6\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOccupation\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth colspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFormal\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth colspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003einformal\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth colspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudent\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere do abortions typically take place?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResponse\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;240)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;240)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;240)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHospital\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3.9%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e30.5%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e14\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e17.1%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e73\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e96.1%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e57\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e69.5%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e68\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82.9%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecret Place\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHome\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePharmaceutical Shop\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat do you know that is used in abortion?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTake Tablets\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9.2%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e15.9%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e13.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e69\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e90.8%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e69\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e84.1%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e71\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e86.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSurgery\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e47.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e50.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e53.7%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e52.6%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e50.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e38\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e46.3%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInserting objects into the Uterus\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhysical abuse of the Body\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraditional Herbs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e76\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.0%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003ctfoot\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd colspan=\"8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource: Source: Field data 2025\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tfoot\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAttitudes Toward Abortion by Gender\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs shown in the Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3.2\u003c/span\u003e below a significant gender differences emerged in attitudes toward abortion. The Table further shows that all p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05. Although both genders reported similar levels of community acceptance of unsafe abortion (~\u0026thinsp;63%), women more strongly supported accessible, safe abortion services (75.2% vs. 44.7%), opposed traditional methods (65.8% vs. 38.3%), and endorsed hospital-based procedures (66.9% vs. 46.8%). Women\u0026rsquo;s attitudes were also more influenced by religion and culture, with 50% reporting religious influence compared with 33% of men, and 48% reporting cultural influence compared with 32% of men. Notably, both genders opposed stigmatization of women who undergo abortions, though women were more definitive in this stance (83.4% vs. 63.9%).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"colspec\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ctable id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3.2\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbortion Attitudes by Gender\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/caption\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth colspan=\"3\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResponse\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eN(%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eN(%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ep- Value\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnsafe abortion is acceptable in our community\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e33(17.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e11(23.4%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.007\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e90(46.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e19(40.4%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e21(10.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e12(25.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e46(23.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3(6.4%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3(1.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2(4.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"6\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWomen who have abortions should be stigmatized\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2(1.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1(2.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"6\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.015\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e7(3.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1(2.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e23(11.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e15(31.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e116\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e116(60.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e20(42.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e45(23.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e10(21.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSafe abortion services should be easily accessible\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6(3.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2(4.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.001\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e16(8.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9(19.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e26(13.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e15(31.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e91(47.2%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e10(21.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e54(28.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e11(23.4%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraditional abortion methods are better than the medical method\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3(1.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4(8.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.002\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e10(5.2%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5(10.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e53(27.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e20(42.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100(51.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e12(25.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e27(14.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6(12.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbortion should only be performed in hospitals\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6(3.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2(4.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.001\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e29(15.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4(8.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e29(15.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e19(40.4%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e70(36.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e8(17.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e59(30.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e14(29.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReligious beliefs influence my views on abortion\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e8(4.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4(8.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.008\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e37(19.2%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6(12.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e50(25.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e22(46.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e81(42.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9(19.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e17(8.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6(12.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCultural beliefs influence my views on abortion\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0(0.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1(2.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.002\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e43(22.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6(12.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e57(29.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e25(53.2%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e79(40.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e10(21.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e14(7.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5(10.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003ctfoot\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource: Field Data 2025\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tfoot\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAwareness and Knowledge of Abortion Laws\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGender Differences in Awareness of Abortion Laws\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth males and females showed limited awareness of Ghana\u0026rsquo;s abortion laws (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3.3\u003c/span\u003e below). No significant gender difference was found in general awareness (42.0% females vs. 41.3% males disagreed; p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.538). Similarly, knowledge that safe abortion is legal under specific circumstances did not differ significantly (38.3% females vs. 19.6% males; p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.140). However, women were significantly more likely than men to know about the legal consequences of unsafe abortion (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.024), that providers can legally offer abortion services (52.8% vs. 23.9%; p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.001), and where to access legal abortion services (25.4% vs. 10.9%; p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.001).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n\u003ctable id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3.3\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGender Differences in Awareness and Knowledge of Abortion Laws in Ghana\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/caption\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResponse\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd colspan=\"3\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ep- Value\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI am aware of Ghana's abortion laws\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e15(7.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4(8.7%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.538\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e81(42.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e19(41.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e46(23.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e14(30.4%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e44(22.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6(13.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e7(3.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3(6.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSafe abortion is legal under certain circumstances in Ghana\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9(4.7%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3(6.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.140\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e39(20.2%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e12(26.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e40(20.7%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e15(32.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e74(38.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9(19.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e31(16.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e7(15.2%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are legal consequences for unsafe abortion practices\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6(3.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2(4.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.024\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e67(34.7%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9(19.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e53(27.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e23(50.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e52(26.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e7(15.2%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e15(7.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5(10.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHealthcare providers can legally provide abortion services\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2(1.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4(8.7%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.001\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e28(14.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3(6.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e35(18.1%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e19(41.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e102(52.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e11(23.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e26(13.5%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9(19.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI know where to find legal abortion services\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e20(10.4%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6(13.0%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.001\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e69(35.8%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e7(15.2%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e50(25.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e25(54.3%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e49(25.4%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5(10.9%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly agree\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5(2.6%)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3(6.5%\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003ctfoot\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSource: Field Data 2025\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tfoot\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePredictors of Awareness of Abortion Legality\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3.4\u003c/span\u003e below presents the binary logistic regression model. As reveal in the Table education emerge as the sole significant predictor of awareness that abortion is legal in Ghana, \u0026chi;\u0026sup2;(3)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;16.132, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.001. Compared to respondents with tertiary education, those with no formal education (OR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.118, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.004) and secondary education (OR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.179, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.001) were significantly less likely to be aware of the law. Other demographic variables\u0026mdash;including age, gender, marital status, and occupation\u0026mdash;were not significant predictors. This highlights the central role of education in shaping knowledge of abortion policy.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n\u003ctable id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3.4\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBinary Logistic Regression Predicting Participants\u0026rsquo; Awareness of the Legality of Abortion in Ghana Based on Demographic Factors\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/caption\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePredictor\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eB\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eS.E.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWald\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003edf\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSig.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExp(B)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAge\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2.291\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.514\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e15\u0026ndash;25 years\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-0.687\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.394\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.243\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.622\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.503\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e26\u0026ndash;35 years\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-0.012\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.341\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.993\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.988\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e36\u0026ndash;45 years\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.116\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.321\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.008\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.930\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.123\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGender (Male)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.659\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.476\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.910\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.167\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.932\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEducation\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e16.132\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.001*\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo formal education\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-2.137\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.741\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e8.326\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.004*\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.118\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrimary\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-21.094\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e7636.30\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.998\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondary\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-1.721\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.506\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e11.547\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.001*\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.179\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTertiary\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarital Status\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.525\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.913\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDivorced / Separated\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-0.540\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.587\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.116\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.734\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.583\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarried\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-0.293\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.439\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.041\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.839\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.746\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWidowed\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-0.056\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.429\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.002\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.969\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.946\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOccupation\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2.088\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.352\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInformal\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-0.499\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.428\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.363\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.243\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.607\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudent\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-0.796\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.613\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.684\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.194\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.451\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConstant\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.210\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.662\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e0.016\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e.899\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1.234\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003ctfoot\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd colspan=\"7\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eField Data 2025, *Statistically significant at p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tfoot\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eGender Differences in Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Abortion\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study found notable gender differences in knowledge and attitudes related to abortion practices, laws, and services in Ghana. Female respondents consistently demonstrated greater awareness of both safe and unsafe abortion practices than males. For instance, more women than men correctly identified health facilities (87.6% vs. 80.9%) and hygienic conditions (71.0% vs. 61.7%) as essential components of safe abortion. These findings are consistent with recent research in Ghana showing generally low awareness of abortion laws but higher knowledge among women with greater educational attainment and exposure to reproductive health information (Cook et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e; Guttmacher Institute, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). Evidence also suggests that contact with health services\u0026mdash;particularly during pregnancy and antenatal care\u0026mdash;serves as an important opportunity for reproductive health education, including counselling related to abortion and pregnancy options (Biney, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Zegeye et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAwareness that safe abortions should be performed by qualified medical personnel was relatively low across both genders (49.7% females vs. 40.4% males). This shortfall is concerning given the World Health Organization (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) guideline, which emphasizes that safe abortion care must be delivered by trained and competent health professionals. In Ghana, stigma and legal ambiguity surrounding abortion also impede provider visibility and openness. For example, Schwandt et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e) documented that healthcare workers sometimes conceal or misclassify abortion services to avoid social backlash or legal repercussions. Similarly, Aniteye and Mayhew (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e) found that institutional stigma and unclear policy environments constrain providers, limiting the availability of information about qualified personnel and reinforcing public misconceptions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe pattern of female predominance in abortion-related knowledge extended to unsafe practices, with more women than men correctly identifying self-induced abortions, the use of traditional herbs, and procedures performed by untrained individuals as dangerous. This gendered disparity may partly reflect men\u0026rsquo;s limited engagement in reproductive health education, despite their substantial influence over decision-making related to women\u0026rsquo;s sexual and reproductive health (Ganle \u0026amp; Dery, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Broader reviews on male involvement in maternal and reproductive health similarly highlight that men often occupy decisive roles while remaining insufficiently informed or involved in health education initiatives (Langen, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2005\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvidence from other African contexts reinforces the implications of these dynamics. In Uganda, men\u0026rsquo;s negative perceptions and opposition to abortion have been shown to impede women\u0026rsquo;s access to safe or legal abortion services, often pushing women toward clandestine and unsafe procedures (Moore, Jagwe-Wadda, \u0026amp; Bankole, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). Likewise, studies among South African university students indicate that men are more likely than women to express restrictive views on abortion, attitudes that may further constrain women\u0026rsquo;s reproductive autonomy (Patel \u0026amp; Kooverjee, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn terms of attitudes, women in the present study were more decisive in supporting safe abortion services, rejecting traditional methods, and endorsing hospitals as appropriate settings for abortion care. Men, by contrast, more frequently selected neutral responses. This pattern may suggest emotional or social detachment from abortion-related issues, plausibly reflecting the reduced personal relevance of pregnancy outcomes for men and their limited exposure to reproductive health education (Ganle \u0026amp; Dery, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Although both genders largely opposed stigmatizing women who have had abortions, women expressed this position more strongly. Collectively, these findings underscore the importance of gender-sensitive reproductive health interventions that actively engage men, enhance their knowledge, and foster supportive and informed participation in abortion-related decision-making (World Health Organization, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eOccupational and Educational Influences on Knowledge\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study also highlighted occupational and educational disparities in knowledge of abortion practices. Respondents in formal employment and students showed greater awareness of safe abortion environments compared to those in informal employment. These differences are consistent with broader evidence linking educational attainment and socioeconomic position to reproductive health knowledge. For instance, analyses of nationally representative data from Uganda show that individuals with higher levels of formal education demonstrate significantly greater sexual and reproductive health knowledge than those with lower educational attainment (Asiimwe et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). Similarly, research from Ghana and Mozambique shows that women with lower education and limited socioeconomic opportunities are more likely to face barriers in accessing safe abortion services, increasing their reliance on unsafe methods (Boah et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e; Coast \u0026amp; Murray, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile not all evidence suggests unanimous rejection of unsafe abortion locations, research in Ghana shows that many women still rely on pharmacies and other informal outlets to obtain medication abortion, particularly misoprostol (Schwandt et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Awareness and use of medication abortion appear to be increasing, especially among younger women, and are often perceived as safer and more discreet than surgical methods (Tackie-Boateng et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). By contrast, familiarity with surgical procedures remains more limited, partly because women associate them with higher risks, cost, and administrative hurdles in health facilities (Owoo \u0026amp; Lambon-Quayefio, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Qualitative research by Aniteye, O\u0026rsquo;Brien, and Mayhew (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) further demonstrates that fear, stigma, and misinformation significantly discourage women from seeking facility-based surgical abortion services in Ghana.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEncouragingly, participants across occupational categories expressed strong disapproval of highly unsafe abortion methods, such as object insertion, physical abuse, and the use of unregulated herbal concoctions. This finding aligns with the World Health Organization\u0026rsquo;s sustained advocacy for safe abortion care and its global efforts to eliminate life-threatening practices associated with unsafe abortion (World Health Organization, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Nevertheless, evidence from sub-Saharan Africa indicates that such unsafe methods remain common in settings where access to safe and legal abortion services is limited, underscoring the need for continued public health messaging, service expansion, and policy reform (Bankole et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite this general rejection of extreme unsafe practices, informally employed individuals in the present study demonstrated comparatively lower levels of comprehensive abortion knowledge. This pattern mirrors broader structural inequalities documented in the literature, which show that individuals\u0026mdash;particularly women\u0026mdash;engaged in informal employment often experience reduced exposure to structured reproductive health education and limited access to formal health services (International Monetary Fund, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; World Health Organization, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Such disparities may constrain awareness of safe abortion options and contribute to continued reliance on informal or suboptimal sources of care. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of tailoring reproductive health interventions to reach informally employed populations, ensuring equitable access to accurate information and safe abortion services across occupational groups.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eLegal Awareness of Abortion Laws in Ghana\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite widespread discussion of abortion practices, knowledge of Ghana\u0026rsquo;s abortion laws remains limited. In our study, a substantial proportion of both men and women misidentified legal provisions, consistent with earlier work by Aniteye and Mayhew (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e), who found widespread confusion about the law, and the Guttmacher Institute (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), which highlighted persistent gaps in legal literacy across the country. Women, however, demonstrated comparatively better knowledge in certain areas\u0026mdash;for example, being more aware of the role of health professionals and service points. This aligns with Ganle et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), who reported gendered differences in exposure to reproductive health information, suggesting the need for inclusive legal education campaigns targeting both genders.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePredictors of Legal Awareness: The Role of Education\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBinary logistic regression highlights educational attainment\u0026mdash;particularly tertiary-level education\u0026mdash;as a key predictor of legal awareness regarding abortion laws in Ghana. Baruwa et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) found that women with secondary and higher education were significantly more likely to be aware of the legal status and processes around abortion, compared to those without formal schooling. This aligns with Nyarko and Potter (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), whose Bayesian multilevel analysis of Ghanaian data demonstrated that education\u0026mdash;alongside wealth and marital status\u0026mdash;was a strong individual-level determinant of abortion-related knowledge and behavior. Similarly, Boah et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) showed that women with higher education were less likely to engage in unsafe abortion practices compared to those with no education.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvidence from other African contexts reinforces these findings. In Ethiopia, Yalew et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) reported that women with secondary or higher education were more likely to seek safe, facility-based abortion care. Likewise, Bankole et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), in a multi-country study across Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, observed that higher educational attainment consistently predicted greater awareness of abortion laws and safer decision-making. Taken together, these studies affirm that education not only improves reproductive decision-making in Ghana but also reflects a broader African pattern where higher educational attainment enhances both legal awareness and access to safe abortion services.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eInterestingly, other demographic variables\u0026mdash;such as age, marital status, and occupation\u0026mdash;did not significantly affect knowledge of abortion law in Ghana once educational level was taken into account. In fact, a recent comparative analysis of legal awareness in Ghana and C\u0026ocirc;te d\u0026rsquo;Ivoire found that in Ghana, legal knowledge did not meaningfully vary across demographic groups, suggesting that education plays a central equalizing role (Bell et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Supporting this pattern, regional studies\u0026mdash;including Yalew et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) in Ethiopia and Bankole et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) across multiple African countries\u0026mdash;consistently demonstrate that higher educational attainment predicts greater legal and reproductive health literacy. Together, these findings imply that interventions aiming to improve legal awareness should focus on extending educational opportunities and leveraging informal community-based channels\u0026mdash;such as peer groups, media, and local networks\u0026mdash;to reach individuals lacking formal schooling.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"5. Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study reveals persistent gaps in knowledge and legal awareness of abortion in Ghana, with women generally more informed than men and education emerging as the strongest predictor of accurate knowledge. Despite some awareness of safe practices, misconceptions about surgical methods and limited understanding of the legal framework remain widespread\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"6. Recommendations","content":"\u003cp\u003eBased on the study findings, the following recommendations are proposed:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eForemost, there should be an expansion of reproductive health education to men as the study reveal a clear gendered gap in abortion knowledge and attitudes. Targeted interventions should engage men through male-focused health education initiatives in schools, workplaces, religious settings, and community forums. This will help bridge knowledge gaps and encourage informed, supportive male involvement in reproductive health decisions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAlso, priority should be given to legal literacy campaigns, generally the study found lack of awareness about Ghana\u0026rsquo;s abortion laws and this highlights the need for nationwide legal literacy campaigns. These should be community-based and delivered in accessible formats (radio, mobile clinics, local language materials) to reach populations with limited formal education, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas. Though, this should be done with care not to encourage rampant youth involvement in abortion.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAgain, sexual and reproductive health, including legal abortion rights, should be integrated more robustly into secondary and tertiary education curricula. These platforms provide ideal settings for informed discussions and critical engagement on issues of bodily autonomy, legality, and safe health practices. Similar caution should be exercise here to project mass acceptance of abortion.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMore so, informally employed individuals were the least informed about safe abortion practices and legal services in this study. With this, public health interventions should include workplace health education in markets, trade associations, and vocational settings to reach this group effectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, healthcare providers should be trained not only in the safe provision of abortion services but also in client education. Additionally, community dialogues led by trusted figures (nurses, midwives, religious leaders) can demystify abortion and reduce stigma, encouraging informed conversations around the topic.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLastly, mass media and social media campaigns should reinforce the importance of using trained medical personnel, accessing facility-based services, and understanding one's rights under the law. Creative storytelling, testimonials, and visual content can help make these messages relatable and memorable.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthical approval for this study was obtained from the Committee on Human Research, Publications and Ethics (CHRPE) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). All procedures were conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines for research involving human participants as stipulated by the Committee.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipation in the study was entirely voluntary. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection. Participants were assured of anonymity and confidentiality of their responses and were informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any stage without any penalty or negative consequences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable. The manuscript does not contain any individual person’s identifiable data, images, or videos.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to ethical restrictions and the need to protect participant confidentiality, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors’ contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eR.A. conceived and designed the study, coordinated and conducted data collection, performed data analysis and interpretation, and drafted the manuscript. G.A. contributed to data collection, data management, and literature review. K.Y.H. assisted with data collection and preliminary data analysis. G.M.K. contributed to data analysis, interpretation of findings, and critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content. C.A. supported data collection, literature review, and manuscript editing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors thank the management and staff of the Fiapre Health Facility for their cooperation during data collection. We are also grateful to all study participants for their time and willingness to share their views and experiences. Appreciation is extended to individuals who supported questionnaire administration and data collection.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAboagye PK, Gebreselassie H, Asare GQ, Mitchell EMH, Addy J. An assessment of unsafe abortion in Ghana. Afr J Reprod Health. 2007;11(2):90\u0026ndash;101.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAniteye P, Mayhew SH. Shaping legal abortion provision in Ghana: Using policy theory to understand provider-related obstacles to policy implementation. Health Res Policy Syst. 2013;11(23):1\u0026ndash;11. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4505-11-23\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1186/1478-4505-11-23\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAniteye P, Mayhew SH, Biddlecom A. 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Reproductive Health. 2022;19(1):1\u0026ndash;13. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01340-w\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"10.1186/s12978-022-01340-w\" targettype=\"DOI\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Abortion, Unsafe, Legal awareness, safe, Ghana","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8602706/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8602706/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eUnsafe abortion remains a major public health concern in Ghana and continues to contribute substantially to maternal morbidity and mortality. Although abortion is legally permitted under specific conditions, access to safe services is often constrained by stigma, misinformation, and limited awareness of the law. This study examined gendered and socio-educational disparities in abortion-related knowledge, attitudes, and legal awareness among residents of Fiapre, a peri-urban community in the Sunyani West Municipality. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 240 residents recruited through convenience sampling at a local health facility. Data were collected using a structured, pretested questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. Awareness of safe abortion practices was generally high, with a greater proportion of women than men identifying health facilities as appropriate settings for safe abortion. Recognition of unsafe methods, including self-induced abortion, was also high across genders. Marked differences emerged by occupation, as nearly all formally employed respondents identified hospitals as the correct setting for abortion care, compared with fewer informally employed participants. Educational attainment was the strongest predictor of legal awareness, with individuals without formal education being significantly less likely to know that abortion is legal under certain conditions in Ghana. These findings highlight the importance of targeted, community-based reproductive health and legal education interventions, particularly for populations with lower educational attainment, to promote informed decision-making and reduce reliance on unsafe abortion practices.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Gender and Educational Disparities in Abortion Knowledge, Attitudes, and Legal Awareness in Ghana: Implications for Public Health Education and Policy","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-16 11:06:37","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8602706/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"325e00c9-b839-4574-a8e7-4d90408db9e0","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 16th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-31T10:10:19+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-01-16 11:06:37","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8602706","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8602706","identity":"rs-8602706","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}