White K, et al. - A randomized study was carried out to evaluate whether information about abortion safety and awareness of abortion laws influence voters' opinions about medically unnecessary abortion regulations. Informational statements decreased perceptions that restrictive laws make abortion safer. Voters' prior awareness of the requirements also was related to their beliefs.

Methods

• Between May and June 2016, they randomized 1200 Texas voters to receive or not receive data depicting the safety of office-based abortion care amid an online survey about abortion laws utilizing simple random assignment.
• They compared the relationship between receiving safety information and awareness of recent restrictions and beliefs that ambulatory surgical center (ASC) requirements for abortion facilities and hospital admitting privileges requirements for physicians would make abortion safer.
• They utilized Poisson regression, adjusting for political affiliation and views on abortion.

Results

• Of 1200 surveyed participants, 1183 had finish data for examination: 612 in the information group and 571 in the comparison group.
• Overall, 259 (46%) in the information group and 298 (56%) in the comparison group believed the ASC requirement would improve abortion safety (p=.008); 230 (41%) in the information group and 285 (54%) in the comparison group believed admitting privileges would make abortion safer (p <.001).
• After multivariable adjustment, the information group was less likely to report the ASC (Prevalence Ratio [PR]: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.72-0.94) and admitting privileges requirements (PR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.65-0.88) would improve safety.
• Participants who identified as conservative Republicans will probably report that the ASC (82%) and admitting privileges requirements (83%) would make abortion safer if they had heard of the provisions than if they were unaware of them (ASC: 52%; admitting privileges: 47%; all p <.001).