Development and pilot testing of the 2019 Canadian Abortion Provider Survey.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Medical Education
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Significant shifts in abortion care regulations, medications, and clinical guidelines have occurred since 2012.
• The Canadian Abortion Provider Survey (CAPS) was last conducted in 2012.
• There is a need to assess current abortion provider workforce characteristics and clinical practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and pilot the Canadian Abortion Provider Survey (CAPS) 2019 instrument.
• To explore changes in the abortion provider workforce.
• To investigate current clinical care and experiences with stigma and harassment among abortion providers.

Main Methods:

• A three-phase development and piloting process was employed.
• Phase 1 involved drafting survey questions based on the 2012 instrument and updated guidelines.
• Phases 2 and 3 included expert content validation, feasibility assessment using a modified Delphi Method, and pilot testing of the web-based survey for clarity and usability, incorporating complex skip patterns.

Main Results:

• A draft survey instrument was generated, reflecting current Canadian abortion care landscape.
• Expert panels provided feedback, leading to iterative revisions and consensus on survey content.
• Pilot testing confirmed the feasibility and usability of the bilingual, web-based survey with complex logic.

Conclusions:

• The CAPS 2019 survey instrument has been successfully developed and piloted.
• The instrument is suitable for exploring the characteristics, care, and experiences of a complex, multidisciplinary abortion provider workforce nationally.
• The survey design is adaptable for use in other countries.