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Published in:
06-11-2023
Perceptions of Abortion Legality and Availability in Mississippi Before the Fall of Roe
Authors: Klaira Lerma, Amanda Nagle, Eva Strelitz-Block, Gracia Sierra, Kari White
Published in: Sexuality Research and Social Policy | Issue 2/2024
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Abstract
The article delves into the perceptions of abortion legality and availability among Mississippi residents before the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. It highlights the restrictive abortion policy environment in Mississippi and the impact of geographic distance on residents' awareness of abortion legality, knowledge of facility-based services, and familiarity with self-managed abortion practices. The study, conducted prior to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, reveals that those living further from abortion facilities were less aware of abortion legality and where to obtain facility-based abortions, and more aware of self-managed abortion practices. This research underscores the potential challenges Mississippi residents faced even before the certification of the state’s trigger ban, offering valuable insights into the barriers to abortion access in the state.
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Abstract
Introduction
Abortion was legal and available at one facility in Mississippi before the June 2022 United States Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Residents’ awareness of abortion’s legality and knowledge of how to obtain an abortion – indicators of one’s ability to seek abortion care if needed – may have varied by their proximity to facility-based care.
Methods
Between September 2020 and February 2021, we used social media to recruit Mississippi residents assigned female at birth who were aged 18–45 years and not pregnant or planning pregnancy for an online survey about their reproductive healthcare access. We used multivariable-adjusted Poisson regression models with robust standard errors to assess whether residing ≥ 50 miles from an abortion facility (versus < 50 miles) was associated with three indicators that support one’s ability to seek care: awareness of legality, knowledge of a facility, and awareness of self-managed abortion in the community.
Results
Of 565 respondents, 262 lived < 50 miles and 303 lived ≥ 50 miles from a facility. Overall, 57% believed that abortion was legal in Mississippi, 26% correctly identified an abortion facility, and 29% had heard about self-managed abortion in their community. Those who lived ≥ 50 miles (vs < 50 miles) from a facility were less often aware that abortion was legal (49% versus 67%; Prevalence Ratio [PR]: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.70–0.95) and less often able to identify an abortion facility (15% versus 38%; PR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.38–0.72). There was not a detectable difference in awareness of self-managed abortion between distance groups (32% versus 25%; p = 0.104).
Conclusions
Many Mississippians face information barriers about abortion legality and location of an abortion facility, particularly those living further from care.
Policy Implications
Following implementation of Mississippi’s law prohibiting most abortions, efforts to bridge existing and new information gaps about abortion will be needed to support residents’ reproductive autonomy.
