Justification of Abortion in West Africa and Interplay of Sociodemographic Predictors: A Comparative Study of Ghana and Nigeria

Abstract

Abortion is an essential social and public health issue. The diverse opinions about abortion originate from several factors that affect attitudes toward abortion. Using the world-value survey (2010-2014), this study sought to understand if Ghanaians and Nigerians justify abortion and the factors that inform why they justify abortion. Various sociodemographic variables (religion, religious attendance, gender, and the number of children born) were used to understand their association with justification for abortion. The results here replicate what other studies have found, with emphasis on the relationship that exists between sex and justification of abortion. The study revealed the influence of religion and religious attendance on justifying abortion cut across Ghana and Nigeria. The findings carry implications as to how the debate on abortion can be undertaken in West Africa.