What logistical barriers do students attending colleges in North Carolina potentially face to obtain a medication abortion? An exploratory study
Abortion
Awarded 2020
Complex Family Planning Fellowship Research
Mishka Peart, MD
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
$6,994

Unintended pregnancy rates in the United States are highest among people between the ages of 18- and 24-years-old, the ages of most traditional college students. Prior studies have reported that unintended pregnancy is a contributor to students leaving college prior to degree completion, thus access to abortion care is important for continued college participation. There is however limited literature on abortion among college students. Moreover, no existing studies specifically address potential logistical barriers among college students in North Carolina. This will be an exploratory and descriptive study measuring the driving distance and travel time between university campuses in North Carolina and the closest clinic offering medication abortion. Cost and wait time to abortion appointment will also be measured. This study will identify gaps to be filled by future interventions to improve accessibility to medication abortion for this population in North Carolina.