Addressing Abortion Provider Stigma: Outcomes From Providers Share Workshop Pilots in East Africa and Latin America

Elizabeth Mosley , Emory University
Lisa Martin, University of Michigan-Dearborn
Meghan Seewald, University of Michigan
Jane Hassinger, University of Michigan
Kelly Blanchard, Ibis Reproductive Health
Sarah Baum, Ibis Reproductive Health
Diana Santana, Planned Parenthood Global
Lina Echeverri, Planned Parenthood Global
Jenna Garrett, Planned Parenthood Global
Lisa Harris, University of Michigan

Background: The Providers Share Workshop is a psychoeducational group intervention to reduce stigma among U.S. abortion providers. Here we report the results of a pilot PSW adaptation in East Africa (N=59) and Latin America (N=93). Methods: We assessed outcomes pre- and post-intervention and predictors of changes over time using survey data on abortion stigma; abortion-related attitudes; perceived legal safety; support for abortion legal advocacy; and burnout (only in East Africa). Results: Abortion provider stigma decreased in East Africa (p=0.03) and Latin America (p<0.001); unfavorable abortion attitudes decreased in East Africa (p=0.01) but not in Latin America (p=0.78); perceived safety increased in East Africa (p=0.003) and Latin America (p<0.05); support for legal advocacy increased immediately post-intervention (p=0.003) in East Africa; and emotional exhaustion (p<0.001) and depersonalization (p=0.007) decreased in East Africa. Conclusions: PSW can address psychosocial and human resource challenges of abortion provision in low-, middle-, and high-resource settings globally.

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 Presented in Session 10. Fertility, Family Planning, Sexual Behavior & Reproductive Health 2