Contextualising Abortion Opinions in Kenya: A Vignette-Based National Survey

Abstract

Abortion is a deeply controversial public health issue, evoking diverse opinions regardless of legal context, yet policymaking often relies on generalised opinion surveys that lack contextual nuance. This study examined public opinions of abortion in Kenya in relation to circumstances of rape, foetal anomaly, and maternal health risk. A nationally representative sample of 8,942 adults in Kenya was drawn from a database of 12 million phone users using a two-stage sampling approach with random-digit dialling. A vignette-based questionnaire described three scenarios involving foetal anomaly, threats to the woman's life or health, and rape.