Table 2. Sample characteristics for NAAS interview data.
Self-identification and legality questions are replicated from Gallup (“With respect to the abortion issue, would you consider yourself to be pro-choice or pro-life?”; “Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?”). The morality question is replicated from the General Social Survey (“Leaving aside whether or not you think abortion should be legal, are you morally opposed to abortion or not, or would you say it depends?”). Percentage reporting having had an abortion is calculated as a percentage of women in the sample (n = 118). The third column compares NAAS sample characteristics to population data more proximate to data collection but released after data collection, pulling from the U.S. Census, Pew Research Center, PRRI, Gallup, and the General Social Survey. HS, high school; GED, General Educational Development; AA, Associate of Arts; BA, Bachelor of Arts; BS, Bachelor of Science.
| Characteristic | N | % of full sample | % Nationally |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | |||
| Female | 118 | 54 | 51 |
| Male | 99 | 46 | 49 |
| Race | |||
| Non-Hispanic white | 147 | 68 | 59 |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 30 | 14 | 12 |
| Hispanic | 23 | 10 | 19 |
| Asian | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| Other (including multiracial) | 12 | 6 | 5 |
| Age (“generation”) | |||
| 18–22 (“Gen Z”) | 10 | 5 | 7 |
| 23–38 (“Millennials”) | 72 | 33 | 21 |
| 39–54 (“Gen X”) | 49 | 22 | 20 |
| 55–73 (“Boomers”) | 73 | 34 | 22 |
| 74+ (“Silent”) | 13 | 6 | 8 |
| U.S. census region | |||
| Northeast | 42 | 19 | 17 |
| Middle Atlantic Division | 42 | 19 | 13 |
| Midwest | 51 | 24 | 21 |
| East North Central Division | 41 | 19 | 14 |
| West North Central Division | 10 | 5 | 7 |
| South | 42 | 19 | 38 |
| East South Central Division | 42 | 19 | 6 |
| West | 82 | 38 | 24 |
| Pacific Division | 41 | 19 | 16 |
| Mountain Division | 41 | 19 | 8 |
| Marital status | |||
| Single never married | 65 | 30 | 30 |
| Married | 114 | 53 | 52 |
| Other | 38 | 17 | 17 |
| Parental status | |||
| No children | 89 | 41 | 34 |
| Children | 128 | 59 | 66 |
| Religion | |||
| Protestant | 88 | 41 | 45 |
| Catholic | 46 | 21 | 22 |
| Jewish | 9 | 4 | 1 |
| Other | 15 | 7 | 6 |
| No religion/nothing in particular | 59 | 27 | 23 |
| Education | |||
| HS degree/GED or less | 56 | 26 | 39 |
| Some college or AA | 33 | 15 | 31 |
| BA/BS or more | 118 | 54 | 30 |
| Other | 10 | 5 | – |
| Ideology (1–7) | |||
| Liberal (1–3) | 72 | 33 | 33 |
| Moderate (4) | 72 | 33 | 35 |
| Conservative (5–7) | 73 | 34 | 32 |
| Self-identification | |||
| “Pro-choice” | 115 | 53 | 48 |
| “Pro-life” | 72 | 33 | 46 |
| Both/neither/other | 30 | 14 | 6 |
| Legal position on abortion | |||
| Illegal all | 30 | 14 | 20 |
| Legal certain | 110 | 51 | 50 |
| Legal any | 75 | 35 | 29 |
| Moral position on abortion | |||
| Morally opposed | 74 | 34 | 29 |
| Morality depends | 84 | 39 | 44 |
| Not morally opposed | 59 | 27 | 28 |
| Abortion exemplar | |||
| Report having had an abortion (women only) | 30 | 25 | 25 |
| Report knowing someone who had an abortion | 155 | 71 | 59 |
| Total | 217 | 100 |