Unanswered questions from abortion seekers: An application of the Research Prioritization by the Affected Community...

Despite protections offered in California, there is limited understanding of abortion access in underserved regions, including the Central Valley. Furthermore, there has been limited community involvement, especially from those directly affected, in the development of research priorities in abortion care. We utilized the Research Prioritization of Affected Communities protocol to identify research priority topics and research questions for future abortion-related research.

This project was designed and implemented through a partnership between a community-based reproductive justice organization and academic and community researchers. We recruited individuals ≥18 years old, English or Spanish speaking, who previously accessed abortion care in Central California. Over two Research Prioritization of Affected Communities sessions, participants shared uncertainties about the abortion care they received (session 1) and ranked their unanswered questions (session 2). The audio recording of sessions were transcribed and analyzed using rapid qualitative analysis to identify themes.

Participants (n = 7) raised 79 unique questions, 57 of which were deemed unanswered and categorized into 11 prioritized topics. Topics with the most questions included costs associated with care (n = 9); the role of community; interactions with clinicians; and resources for patients (n = 7 for each topic). Participants discussed challenging experiences, barriers, and the importance of social support when receiving abortion care.

Using a community-centered approach, we identified topics and questions for future abortion-related research, to guide researchers and funders. Many questions raised by participants have already been answered in prior research, suggesting that implications of research are not clearly conveyed to those impacted the most.

Using a community-centered approach, this study convened individuals who previously received abortion care in the Central Valley of California to identify key research priority topics and questions for future abortion-related research. The list of prioritized topics and questions is a guide for researchers, advocacy groups, and funders.