Table 2.
Characteristics of the studies included in the review
| Nr. | Country | Year of publication | Study period | Abortion law * | Aim | Sample size/characteristics | Data collection | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ethiopia | 2011 | March – April 2008 | A B D E H + | To answ er the questions; “what does perceptions on safe abortion look like among health care service providers?” “What are the factors which affect the perception of health providers towards safe abortion?” | 431 health providers | A structured, self-administered questionnaire | ABDI, J. et al. [32] |
| 2. | Ghana | 2013 | No information | A B C D E H | To examine in in what ways provider attitudes and values affect the implementation of abortion policy. | 43 health professionals | In-depth interviews | ANITEYE, P. et al. [30] |
| 3. | Timor Leste | 2009 | 2006 -2007 | A | To describe the socio-legal context of unsafe abortion in Timor-Leste | 21 doctors and midwives | In-depth interviews | BELTON, S. et al. [24] |
| 4. | South Africa | 2000 | No Information | A B C D E F G -1st H | To investigate health care ethics regarding Termination of pregnancy | 1200 registered nurses | Questionnaires and Focus-group discussions | BOTES, A. [16] |
| 5. | South Africa | 2002 | No Information | A B C D E F G -1st H | To assess attitudes of medical students to induced abortion | 247 medical students | Self-administered questionnaire | BUGA, G.A. [33] |
| 6. | South Africa | 2005 | Nov. 2001 – March 2002 | A B C D E F G -1st H | To explore attitudes of health care providers towards medical abortion | 20 public health nurses and doctors | In-depth interviews | COOPER, D., et al. [25] |
| 7. | Indonesia | 1993 | Oct. 1990 – April 1991 | A | To contribute to the search for ways to make pregnancy and childbirth safer | 28 Physicians, 16 Midwives,16 TBA 16 PLKB Total: 76 | In-depth interviews | DJOHAN, E., et al. [26] |
| 8. | Nigeria | 2003 | No Information | A | To examine the knowledge, attitude and practice of private medical practitioners on abortion | 48 private practitioners | Structured questionnaire | ETUK, S.J. et al. [34] |
| 9. | Mozambique | 2004 | 2002 | A B | To document the strengths and deficiencies of abortion care | 99 Midwives and nurses | Questionnaire | GALLO, M.F., et al. [35] |
| 10. | South Africa | 2000 | No Information | A B C D E F G - 1st H | To explore and describe nurses’ experiences of being involved with abortion care | Nurses | Phenomenological interviews | GMEINER, A.C., et al. [31] |
| 11. | South Africa | 2012 | July – October 2008 | A B C D E F G - 1st H | To explore health service providers’ perceptions of abortion services | 19 providers and hospital managers | In-depth interviews | HARRIES, J. et al. [27] |
| 12. | South Africa | 2009 | 2006 - 2007 | A B C D E F G - 1st H | To explore knowledge, attitudes and opinions of health care providers’ attitude to abortion | 34 health care providers | In-depth interviews and one focus group discussion | HARRIES, J. et al. [53] |
| 13. | South Africa | 2000 | No Information | A B C D E F G - 1st | To study attitudes and beliefs about abortion among nurses | 24 male and 114 female nurses In total 138 | Self administered questionnaire | HARRISON, A., et al. [36] |
| 14. | Zimbabwe | 1999 | No Information | A B D E H | To determinate the attitudes of professional health workers to medically supervised abortion | 196 doctors, 1 053 nurses In total 1249 | Self administered anonymous questionnaire | KASULE, J., et al. [37] |
| 15. | Kenya | 1992 | April 1991 | A | To determine nurses’ knowledge and attitudes towards abortion | 218 nurses | Self-administered questionnaire | KIDULA, N. A., et al. [38] |
| 16. | Vietnam | 2006 | March – April 2002 | A B C D E F G | To explore the midwives’ perspectives on adolescent sexuality and abortion, and what they consider to be quality abortion care | 40 Midwives; 28 doctors In total 68 | Observations and focus-group discussions (FGD) | KLINGBERG-ALLVIN, M., et al. [54] |
| 17. | Vietnam | 2007 | 2003 | A B C D E F G H | To investigate midwifery students’ values and attitudes towards adolescent sexuality, abortion and contraception | 235 midwifery students | Quantitative survey complemented with 18 qualitative interviews | KLINGBERG-ALLVIN, M., et al. [55] |
| 18. | South Africa | 2005 | No Information | A B C D E F G - 1st H | To explore the lived experience of midwives who assist with TOP | 3 nurses | In-depth interviews | MAYERS, P.M. et al. [28] |
| 19. | Swaziland | 2008 | January – March 2005 | A B C D E H | To explore health workers’ perceptions of adolescent SRH services in Swaziland | 56 midwives | Self-administered questionnaire | MNGADI, P. T., et al. [39] |
| 20. | South Africa | 2008 | No information | A B C D E F G 1s tH | To investigate professional nurses’ attitudes towards abortion care | 25 nurses | Questionnaire | MOKGETHI, N. E. et al. [40] |
| 21. | Ghana | 2007 | August 2003 | A B C D E H | To assess physician’s knowledge and attitude towards abortion | 74 physicians | Self-administered questionnaire | MORHE, E.S. et al. [41] |
| 22. | Nigeria | 2005 | No information | A | To investigate the attitudes and practices of physicians towards abortion | 232 private practitioners | Structured questionnaire | OKONOFUA, F. E. et al. [42] |
| 23. | Nigeria | 2011 | No information | A | To assess the attitudes of staff at reproductive health services | 136 senior practitioners | Questionnaire | OMO-AGHOJA, L.O. et al. [43] |
| 24. | Nigeria | 2009 | 27 December 2005 to 25 March 2006 | A | To understand PAC services provided by private medical practitioners | 96 private medical practitioners | Questionnaire | ONAH, H. E. et al. [44] |
| 25. | Uganda | 2014 | February - March 2012 | A | To explore physicians’ and midwives’ perceptions of PAC | 10 Doctors and 17 Midwives In total 27 | In-depth Interviews | PAUL, M., et al. [29] |
| 26. | Ghana | 2013 | Fall 2009 | A B C D E H | To explore the reasons women continue to die from unsafe abortion | 4 Physicians | Open ended interviews and Focus-group discussion | PAYNE, M.C., et al. [51] |
| 27. | Thailand | 1986 | 1980 - 1981 | A B C D E | To demonstrate health professionals’ attitudes toward abortion | 625 Doctors, Nurses and social workers | Self-administered questionnaire | PHUAPRADIT, W., et al. [45] |
| 28. | South Africa | 1998 | No information | A B C D E F G - 1st H | To explore and describe nurses’ experience of abortion | 1200 nurses | Focus-group discussions, interviews and observations | POGGENPOEL, M., et al. [56] |
| 29. | South Africa | 2004 | No information | A B C D E F G - 1st H | To compile a profile of the characteristics and/or beliefs held by nurses who choose to become abortion providers | 22 nurses | Focus-group discussion and deep-interviews | POTGIETER, C [57] |
| 30. | Ghana | 2013 | March – April 2008 | A B C D E H | To understand pathways to induced abortion in Ghana and the role health care providers play | 11 Family planning nurses and 8 obstetricians/gynaecologists In total 19 | Focus-group discussion and in-depth interviews | SCHWANDT, H.M., et al. [51] |
| 31. | Myanmar | 2012 | March – May 2011 | A | To find out medical students’ knowledge of and attitudes toward abortion | 1,060 Medical students | Questionnaire | TEY, N.P., et al. [50] |
| 32. | Thailand | 1977 | No information | A B C D E | To evaluate the attitudes of medical students towards abortion | 318 medical students | Questionnaires | VARAKAMIN, S. et al. [46] |
| 33. | Ghana | 2010 | February 2007 | A B C D E H | To assess the capacity and willingness of midwifery tutors to teach abortion care | 74 Midwifery tutors | Structured questionnaire | VOETAGBE, G. et al. [47] |
| 34. | South Africa | 1995 | No information | A B C D E F G - 1st H | To explore the understandings and responses of nurses towards abortion | 35 Primary Health Care Nurses | Observations and interviews | WALKER, L. [58] |
| 35. | Kenya and Zambia | 2006 | Sept. – Dec. 2001 | Kenya A Zambia A B C E F | To investigate attitudes among Kenyan and Zambian nurse-midwives toward adolescent SRH problems, in order to improve services for adolescents. | 322 Nurses from Kenya 385 Nurses from Zambia In total 707 Nurses | Questionnaires | WARENIUS, L. U., et al. [48] |
| 36. | South Africa | 2012 | 2005 - 2007 | A B C D E F G - 1st H | To assess attitudes about abortion provision and future practice intentions of medical students | 1308 medical students | Self-administered questionnaire | WHEELER, S.B. et al. [49] |
A = To protect woman’s life D = Rape G = On request 1st - First trimester only.
B = Physical health E = Foetal defects H = Incest.
C = Mental health F = Socio-economic factors.
+ = Abortion permitted on additional enumerated grounds relating to such factors as the woman’s age or capacity to care for a child.
*Source: CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS (2009) World Abortion Laws 2009 Fact Sheet.