Awareness and attitudes of disabled women in southern Ethiopia regarding abortion law: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

There is currently little information about access to information regarding the current abortion law among disabled people in Ethiopia. This study evaluated awareness and attitudes of disabled reproductive age women concerning the present abortion law and its associated factors in southern Ethiopia. From a total of 605 participants 15.4% and 48.8% had knowledge and favourable attitude about current abortion law. Education (AOR=1 95%CI: 1-3), discussion with family on Sexual and reproductive health issues (AOR=0.05 95%CI: 0.008-0.3), knowledge on unsafe abortion complications (AOR=0.1 95%CI: 0.02-0.4) were factors associated with knowledge. Educational (AOR=0.5 95%CI:0.3-0.9), marital status(AOR=0.6 95%CI:0.3-0.9), pregnancy(AOR=3 95%CI:1.1 6), disability association(AOR=0.1 95%CI:0.08-0.2), Sexual and reproductive health service utilization(AOR=0.4 95%CI:0.2-0.9), were associated with positive attitude. Risk factors for knowledge and attitude towards abortion law among reproductive age women's with disability in Gedeo Zone, highlight the need for policies that improve access to reproductive health services, promote family planning and address the socio-economic challenges reproductive women's with disability face.