Americans Show Rising Support for Abortion Rights: Poll
NORWALK, Conn., July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Despite recent moves by some states to restrict access to abortion, more Americans now support a woman’s right to choose than they did two years ago, a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll finds.
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Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of those polled in 2009 supported the idea that a woman should have access to abortion in “all circumstances.” But that number has risen to 36 percent in 2011 — the highest proportion seen in Harris polls on the issue since 1985.
At the same time, the percentage of Americans opposed to abortion under any circumstances fell from 21 percent in 2009 to 17 percent this year.
The poll also found that almost half of U.S. adults (47 percent) favored permitting abortion under “some [but not all] circumstances,” a slight dip from the 53 percent observed in 2009.
Although the poll’s demographics are similar to 2009, the most recent study was done exclusively online, which can have some implications for sensitive topics such as abortion.
“Despite the current trend of fiscal conservatism in the United States stemming from the economic downturn, Americans overall remain socially moderate on abortion rights,” said Jennifer Colamonico, senior vice president for healthcare research at Harris Interactive, which conducted the online survey of nearly 2,400 adults at the beginning of July.
The poll results come against the backdrop of recent moves by some states to restrict access to abortion. These include legislation banning insurance coverage for abortion in the health insurance exchanges created as part of last year’s federal health care reform; requirements that all women who are considering an abortion get an ultrasound first; and cutting public funding for Planned Parenthood. In some states, such as Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and North Carolina, some of these moves have already been implemented, according to published reports.
The poll included 2,362 U.S. adults over age 18 who were surveyed online between July 6 to 8, 2011, by Harris Interactive, one of the world’s leading custom market research firms, and HealthDay, a leading producer and syndicator of health news.
The complete findings of the newest joint Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll are available here. HealthDay’s news report is available here. Full data on the poll and its methodology are available at Harris Interactive.
About HealthDay
HealthDay, a division of Scout News LLC, is a leading producer and syndicator of evidence-based health news for consumers and physicians and is the largest syndicator of that news to Internet sites. Its consumer health news service (www.healthday.com) appears on more than 5,000 websites such as Yahoo!, MSN Health, iVillage, US News.com, hundreds of hospitals and hospital group websites, as well as print publication websites across the country. HealthDay also produces Physician’s Briefing (www.physiciansbriefing.com), a news service for physicians, nurses and other medical professionals updated twice daily providing 15 articles a day across 32 medical specialties. HealthDay also provides custom content for major health portals. The newest addition to the HealthDay portfolio is HealthDay TV -a 90-second news broadcast of essential health information that appears on several major media websites, U.S. government websites and other health information sites.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is one of the world’s leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including health care, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in more than 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us – and our clients – stay ahead of what’s next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.
TABLE 1A
FAVOR PERMITTING ABORTIONS
"In general, do you favor permitting a woman who wants one to have an
abortion in all circumstances, some circumstances or no
circumstances?"
Base: All Adults
Total Political ID
Rep. Dem. Ind. Other
% % % % %
All circumstances 36 20 49 37 31
Some circumstances 47 54 43 49 40
------------------ --- --- --- --- ---
No circumstances 17 26 9 14 29
---------------- --- --- --- --- ---
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 1B
FAVOR PERMITTING ABORTIONS - BY AGE AND GENDER
"In general, do you favor permitting a woman who wants one to have an
abortion in all circumstances, some circumstances or no
circumstances?"
Base: All Adults
Total Age
18-24 25-29
% % %
All
circumstances 36 33 31
Some
circumstances 47 44 52
No
circumstances 17 23 17
Age
30-39 40-49 50-64
% % %
All
circumstances 38 36 40
Some
circumstances 41 50 47
No
circumstances 22 14 14
Age Gender
65+ Male Female
% % %
All
circumstances 31 34 37
Some
circumstances 52 51 44
No
circumstances 17 15 19
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 1C
FAVOR PERMITTING ABORTIONS - TREND
"In general, do you favor permitting a woman who wants one to have an
abortion in all circumstances, some circumstances or no
circumstances?"
Base: All Adults
1985 1992 1993
% % %
All circumstances 26 29 30
Some circumstances 53 54 55
No circumstances 20 14 14
Not sure 1 3 2
1996 1998 2005 2006
% % % %
All circumstances 25 23 23 24
Some circumstances 53 58 55 53
No circumstances 19 17 21 20
Not sure 4 1 1 4
2007 2009 2011
% % %
All circumstances 25 23 36
Some circumstances 52 53 47
No circumstances 20 21 17
Not sure 2 4 NA
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding; NA signifies
that response choice was not given. Previous years conducted by
telephone.
TABLE 2A
LAWS ABOUT ABORTION
"Do you favor laws that would make it more difficult for a woman to
get an abortion, favor laws that would make it easier to get an
abortion or should no change be made to existing abortion laws?"
Base: All Adults
Total Political ID
Rep. Dem. Ind. Other
% % % % %
Making it more difficult to get
an abortion 34 58 20 31 34
Make it easier to get an
abortion 28 18 38 28 20
------------------------ --- --- --- --- ---
No change 38 24 42 41 46
--------- --- --- --- --- ---
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 2B
LAWS ABOUT ABORTION
"Do you favor laws that would make it more difficult for a woman to
get an abortion, favor laws that would make it easier to get an
abortion or should no change be made to existing abortion laws?"
Base: All Adults
Total Age
18-24 25-29
% % %
Making it more difficult
to get an abortion 34 32 31
Make it easier to get an
abortion 28 36 30
No change 38 33 39
Age
30-39 40-49 50-64
% % %
Making it more difficult
to get an abortion 35 37 30
Make it easier to get an
abortion 26 28 29
No change 39 35 41
Age Gender
65+ Male Female
% % %
Making it more difficult
to get an abortion 38 33 35
Make it easier to get an
abortion 25 30 27
No change 37 37 39
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 2C
LAWS ABOUT ABORTION -- TREND
"Do you favor laws that would make it more difficult for a woman to
get an abortion, favor laws that would make it easier to get an
abortion or should no change be made to existing abortion laws?"
Base: All Adults
1992 1993 1998
% % %
Making it more difficult to
get an abortion 34 35 40
Make it easier to get an
abortion 18 22 16
No change 44 39 39
Not sure 4 3 4
2005 2006 2007
% % %
Making it more difficult to
get an abortion 42 40 42
Make it easier to get an
abortion 13 15 16
No change 42 40 38
Not sure 1 6 4
2009 2011
% %
Making it more difficult to
get an abortion 41 34
Make it easier to get an
abortion 14 28
No change 40 38
Not sure 6 NA
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding; NA signifies
that response choice was not given. Previous years conducted by
telephone.
TABLE 3A
SUPPORT OR OPPOSE POLICIES
"Below is a list of policies that have been either implemented
already or proposed in some states. Please indicate if you support
or oppose each of the policies?"
Base: All Adults
Support Strongly Somewhat
(NET) support support
% % %
Not allowing abortion
after the first 20
weeks of pregnancy 64 44 20
Requiring all pregnant
women to have an
ultrasound scan of the
fetus before having an
abortion 47 29 18
Not allowing private
insurance companies
that use the new
insurance exchanges to
offer insurance
coverage for abortion
services 36 24 12
Eliminating all state
funding for Planned
Parenthood 33 23 11
Not at
Oppose Somewhat Strongly all
(NET) oppose oppose sure
% % % %
Not allowing abortion
after the first 20
weeks of pregnancy 22 11 11 14
Requiring all pregnant
women to have an
ultrasound scan of the
fetus before having an
abortion 38 12 26 15
Not allowing private
insurance companies
that use the new
insurance exchanges to
offer insurance
coverage for abortion
services 44 15 30 20
Eliminating all state
funding for Planned
Parenthood 55 14 41 12
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 3B
SUPPORT OR OPPOSE POLICIES
"Below is a list of policies that have been either implemented
already or proposed in some states. Please indicate if you support
or oppose each of the policies?"
Summary of those saying "strongly support" or "somewhat support"
Base: All Adults
Total Political ID
Rep. Dem.
% % %
Not allowing abortion after the first
20 weeks of pregnancy 64 81 57
Requiring all pregnant women to have
an ultrasound scan of the fetus
before having an abortion 47 67 38
Not allowing private insurance
companies that use the new insurance
exchanges to offer insurance coverage
for abortion services 36 60 23
Eliminating all state funding for
Planned Parenthood 33 59 16
Political ID
Ind. Other
% %
Not allowing abortion after the first
20 weeks of pregnancy 60 63
Requiring all pregnant women to have
an ultrasound scan of the fetus
before having an abortion 39 47
Not allowing private insurance
companies that use the new insurance
exchanges to offer insurance coverage
for abortion services 32 30
Eliminating all state funding for
Planned Parenthood 34 29
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 3C
SUPPORT OR OPPOSE POLICIES - BY AGE AND GENDER
"Below is a list of policies that have been either implemented
already or proposed in some states. Please indicate if you support
or oppose each of the policies?"
Summary of those saying "strongly support" or "somewhat support"
Base: All Adults
Total Age
18-24 25-29
% % %
Not allowing abortion
after the first 20
weeks of pregnancy 64 65 70
Requiring all
pregnant women to
have an ultrasound
scan of the fetus
before having an
abortion 47 49 52
Not allowing private
insurance companies
that use the new
insurance exchanges
to offer insurance
coverage for
abortion services 36 37 40
Eliminating all state
funding for Planned
Parenthood 33 32 35
Age
30-39 40-49 50-64
% % %
Not allowing abortion
after the first 20
weeks of pregnancy 63 62 65
Requiring all
pregnant women to
have an ultrasound
scan of the fetus
before having an
abortion 49 42 43
Not allowing private
insurance companies
that use the new
insurance exchanges
to offer insurance
coverage for
abortion services 34 33 34
Eliminating all state
funding for Planned
Parenthood 35 29 29
Age Gender
65+ Male Female
% % %
Not allowing abortion
after the first 20
weeks of pregnancy 65 62 67
Requiring all
pregnant women to
have an ultrasound
scan of the fetus
before having an
abortion 52 47 46
Not allowing private
insurance companies
that use the new
insurance exchanges
to offer insurance
coverage for
abortion services 42 39 33
Eliminating all state
funding for Planned
Parenthood 43 39 28
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 4A
LIMITATIONS ON LEGAL ABORTIONS
"For those cases where an abortion is allowed by the law, do you
think there should be some limitation regarding how late in the
pregnancy it should be permitted?"
Base: All Adults
Total Political ID
Rep. Dem. Ind. Other
% % % % %
Yes, there should be some
limitation. 74 85 71 72 73
No, there should be no
limitation. 13 8 17 13 10
---------------------- --- --- --- --- ---
Not at all sure. 13 8 12 15 17
---------------- --- --- --- --- ---
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 4B
LIMITATIONS ON LEGAL ABORTIONS - BY AGE AND GENDER
"For those cases where an abortion is allowed by the law, do you
think there should be some limitation regarding how late in the
pregnancy it should be permitted?"
Base: All Adults
Total Age
18-24 25-29
% % %
Yes, there should be some
limitation. 74 68 71
No, there should be no
limitation. 13 16 13
Not at all sure. 13 16 16
Age
30-39 40-49 50-64
% % %
Yes, there should be some
limitation. 72 73 78
No, there should be no
limitation. 13 15 13
Not at all sure. 15 13 10
Age Gender
65+ Male Female
% % %
Yes, there should be some
limitation. 80 71 77
No, there should be no
limitation. 8 14 11
Not at all sure. 12 14 12
TABLE 5A
WHEN SHOULD ABORTIONS BE PERMITTED?
"You indicated that there should be some limitation regarding how
late in pregnancy abortion should be permitted. For those cases
where abortion is allowed by the law, which of the following comes
closest to your views on what this limitation should be?
Abortions should be permitted..."
Base: Adults who say there should be some limitation on how late in
pregnancy abortion should be permitted
Total Political ID
Rep. Dem. Ind. Other
% % % % %
Only within the first 12
weeks of pregnancy 43 53 37 35 45
Only within the first 16
weeks of pregnancy 13 11 15 13 9
Only within the first 20
weeks of pregnancy 11 7 12 17 11
Only within the first 24
weeks of pregnancy 4 4 5 5 2
Only within the first 28
weeks of pregnancy 3 1 5 3 *
After 28 weeks of
pregnancy 1 * 2 2 3
----------------- --- --- --- --- ---
Not at all sure 25 23 24 26 30
--------------- --- --- --- --- ---
TABLE 5B
WHEN SHOULD ABORTIONS BE PERMITTED?
"You indicated that there should be some limitation regarding how
late in pregnancy abortion should be permitted. For those cases
where abortion is allowed by the law, which of the following comes
closest to your views on what this limitation should be?
Abortions should be permitted..."
Base: Adults who say there should be some limitation on how late in
pregnancy abortion should be permitted
Total Age
18-24 25-29
% % %
Only within the first 12
weeks of pregnancy 43 33 38
Only within the first 16
weeks of pregnancy 13 13 11
Only within the first 20
weeks of pregnancy 11 17 10
Only within the first 24
weeks of pregnancy 4 7 9
Only within the first 28
weeks of pregnancy 3 3 4
After 28 weeks of
pregnancy 1 3 *
Not at all sure 25 24 28
Age
30-39 40-49 50-64
% % %
Only within the first 12
weeks of pregnancy 44 43 45
Only within the first 16
weeks of pregnancy 10 15 13
Only within the first 20
weeks of pregnancy 12 10 11
Only within the first 24
weeks of pregnancy 6 3 2
Only within the first 28
weeks of pregnancy 5 4 2
After 28 weeks of
pregnancy 1 1 2
Not at all sure 22 24 26
Age Gender
65+ Male Female
% % %
Only within the first 12
weeks of pregnancy 47 36 49
Only within the first 16
weeks of pregnancy 15 12 14
Only within the first 20
weeks of pregnancy 9 13 9
Only within the first 24
weeks of pregnancy 3 6 3
Only within the first 28
weeks of pregnancy 1 3 3
After 28 weeks of
pregnancy 1 1 1
Not at all sure 24 29 21
Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States July 6 to 8, 2011 among 2,362 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words “margin of error” as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.
Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
Full data available at www.harrisinteractive.com.
The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of Harris Interactive.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
Press Contact:
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SOURCE Harris Interactive