Abortion-client religious identity and self-judgment in a setting with antiabortion protestors in Mississippi

Abstract

Objective: To assess abortion patients' self-judgment in a setting with antiabortion protestors.

Study design: We analyzed data from a survey of 196 Mississippi abortion clients who interacted with antiabortion protestors, using ANOVA to compare feelings of self-judgment (measured on a 0-to-4 Likert-based scale) by religious identity. We assessed support for a law limiting protestor activity using a Χ² test.

Results: The mean self-judgment score was 1.1 among respondents with no religious identity (n = 43), 1.4 among religious, not evangelical respondents (n = 95), and 1.5 among evangelical respondents (n = 58, p = 0.23). Most respondents (79%) supported a lawlimiting protestor activity.

Discussion: Overall, self-judgment was low and support for a law limiting protestor access was high.

Keywords: Abortion; Christians; Evangelicals; Protestors; Religion; Stigma.