Indiana University Bloomington, School of Public Health, Bloomington IN, United States.
Indiana University Bloomington, School of Public Health, Bloomington IN, United States; Indiana University, The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, Bloomington IN, United States.
Contraception. 2021 Jul;104(1):104-110. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2021.04.001. Epub 2021 Apr 18.
We explored public opinion about using telemedicine to provide medication abortion during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. We also investigated the associations between socio-demographic characteristics and support for using telemedicine in this context and explored factors that influenced respondents' attitudes on the topic.
In a nationally representative, web-based survey of US adults (n = 711), we asked open- and closed-ended questions about using telemedicine to prescribe medication abortion during COVID-19. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics, endorsement of abortion labels, and political affiliation and support for telemedicine in this circumstance. Then, we conducted content and thematic analyses with the open-ended data to explore what influenced respondents' opinions.
Overall, 332 (44%) of respondents supported using telemedicine for medication abortion during the pandemic; 237 (35%) opposed and 138 (21%) were unsure. Respondents who identified as prochoice were more likely to support using telemedicine for abortion during the pandemic than those who identified as prolife were to oppose it in this context (RRR 2.95; 95% CI 1.31-6.64). Via our content and thematic analysis, we identified that concerns about safety, the legitimacy of telemedicine, and the belief that abortion should occur as early in the pregnancy as possible influenced respondents' beliefs about using telemedicine for medication abortion.
More respondents supported using telemedicine for medication abortion during COVID-19 than opposed it. Among respondents who expressed support, most thought that medication abortion was safe and that telemedicine was equivalent to the in-person provision of care.
There appears to be support among US adults for the provision of medication abortion via telemedicine during COVID-19. Policymakers may consider public sentiment as well as clinical evidence when considering legislation about abortion.
我们探讨了公众对在 2020 年 COVID-19 大流行期间使用远程医疗提供药物流产的看法。我们还调查了社会人口统计学特征与在这种情况下支持使用远程医疗之间的关系，并探讨了影响受访者对该主题态度的因素。
在一项针对美国成年人（n=711）的全国代表性网络调查中，我们询问了关于在 COVID-19 期间使用远程医疗开处药物流产的开放性和封闭式问题。我们使用多项逻辑回归来评估社会人口统计学特征、对堕胎标签的认可以及政治派别与在这种情况下支持远程医疗之间的关系。然后，我们对开放式数据进行内容和主题分析，以探讨影响受访者意见的因素。
总体而言，332 名（44%）受访者支持在大流行期间使用远程医疗进行药物流产；237 名（35%）反对，138 名（21%）不确定。在这种情况下，认同选择的受访者比认同生命的受访者更有可能支持在大流行期间使用远程医疗进行堕胎（RRR 2.95；95%CI 1.31-6.64）。通过我们的内容和主题分析，我们发现对安全性的担忧、远程医疗的合法性以及认为堕胎应该在怀孕早期进行的信念影响了受访者对使用远程医疗进行药物流产的看法。
更多的受访者支持在 COVID-19 期间使用远程医疗进行药物流产，而不是反对。在表示支持的受访者中，大多数人认为药物流产是安全的，远程医疗等同于面对面的护理。
美国成年人似乎支持在 COVID-19 期间通过远程医疗提供药物流产。决策者在考虑关于堕胎的立法时，可以考虑公众意见和临床证据。
