Reducing underreporting of stigmatized pregnancy outcomes: results from a mixed-methods study of self-managed abortion in Texas using the list-experiment method.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Accurately measuring stigmatized experiences is a challenge across reproductive health research. In this study, we tested a novel method - the list experiment - that aims to reduce underreporting of sensitive events by asking participants to report how many of a list of experiences they have had, not which ones. We applied the list experiment to measure "self-managed abortion" - any attempt by a person to end a pregnancy on one's own, outside of a clinical setting - a phenomenon that may be underreported in surveys due to a desire to avoid judgement.

Methods

We administered a double list experiment on self-managed abortion to a Texas-wide representative sample of 790 women of reproductive age in 2015. Participants were asked how many of a list of health experience

SUBMITTER: Moseson H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6720920 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature