@article {1527895,
	title = {Estimating abortion prevalence and understanding perspectives of community leaders and providers: Results from a mixed-method study in Istanbul, Turkey},
	journal = {Women{\textquoteright}s Health},
	volume = {16},
	year = {2020},
	pages = {1-13},
	abstract = {
	Objectives:



	Abortions are difficult to measure; yet, accurate estimates are critical in developing health programs. We implemented and tested the validity of a list experiment of lifetime abortion prevalence in Istanbul, Turkey. We complemented our findings by understanding community perspectives using in-depth interviews with key informants.



	Methods:



	We conducted a household survey between March and June 2018. In a random sample of 4040 married women aged 16{\textendash}44 years, we implemented a double list experiment. We averaged difference in mean values calculations between the average counts for each list to provide an estimated lifetime abortion prevalence. We conducted in-depth interviews with 16 key informants to provide insights into possible explanations for the quantitative results.



	Results:



	The abortion prevalence estimate from the list experiment was close to that of the direct question (3.25\% vs 2.97\%). Key informant narratives suggest that differing definitions of abortion, inaccessibility, provider bias, lack of knowledge of abortion laws and safety, and religious norms could contribute to under-reporting. Results from the qualitative study suggest that abortion is largely inaccessible and highly stigmatized.



	Conclusion:



	Measuring experiences of abortion is critical to understanding women{\textquoteright}s needs and informing harm-reduction strategies; however, in highly stigmatized settings, researchers may face unique challenges in obtaining accurate reports.

},
	url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745506520953353$\#$articleCitationDownloadContainer},
	author = {Sarah Huber-Krum and Duygu Karadon and Sebahat Kurutas and Rohr, Julia and Simay Sevval Baykal and Ayca Okuoglu and Yilmaz Esmer and Canning, David and Iqbal Shah}
}
