 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Atsuko Koyama, MPH1, Suellen Miller, CNM, MHA, PhD2, Doug Oman, PhD3, Tracy Weitz, MPA4, and Alissa Perrucci, PhD4. (1) Maternal and Child Health Program, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 312 Warren Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, 415 457 6118, akoyama@uclink.berkeley.edu, (2) School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 312 Earl Warren Hall, UC-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, (3) Public Health Institute, 2001 Addison Street, Second Floor, Berkeley, CA 94704-1103, (4) Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy and the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, Box 0744, 3333 California Street, Ste 335, San Francisco, CA 94143-0744
Women’s access to abortion services in California has become increasingly limited. From 1996 to 2000 there was a 19 percent decrease in the number of abortion providers. One proposed solution is to allow Advanced Practice Clinicians (APCs)- nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and physician assistants- to perform abortions. In September 2002, the California legislature passed the Reproductive Privacy Act (SB 1301) allowing APCs to participate in non-surgical abortions utilizing Mifepristone® (RU-486) or methotrexate. However, whether or not APCs can perform surgical abortions remains unresolved under the current law, warranting investigation of how APCs feel about the provision of medical and surgical abortion.
The goal of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices of a random sample of 2,400 California APCs concerning abortion services. A mailed survey included questions about their desire to receive training in medical abortion provision, their willingness to perform medical abortions, and their opinions about whether medical and surgical abortions should fall within each of the three APC’s scope of practice. Preliminary findings show that the majority identified themselves as “pro-choice” and would support their colleagues in performing abortions. A number wished to be trained in medical abortion. The results also indicated a willingness of some APCs to provide surgical abortions if a new law would permit them to provide this service. Allowing APCs to perform surgical abortions would result in a 45% increase in the number of California abortion providers.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Abortion,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.