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Estimating the Social Visibility of Abortions in Ethiopia and Uganda Using the Game of Contacts

Margaret Giorgio, Guttmacher Institute
Solomon Shiferaw, Addis Ababa University
Assefa Seme, Addis Ababa University
Fredrick Makumbi, Makerere University
Simon Peter P. S. Kibira, Makerere University School of Public Health
Sarah Ms Nabukeera, Makarere University
Elizabeth A. Sully, Guttmacher Institute

Social network based methods have emerged as a promising approach for measuring abortion in restrictive settings. However, in order for these methods to accurately measure abortion incidence, the visibility of abortion within social networks must also be measured. The most rigorous estimates of the social visibility of hidden groups are derived from the Game of Contacts method. This method involves recruiting a separate, respondent-driven sample of members of the hidden population of interest and estimating visibility through a game-like activity. While the Game of Contacts has been tested for estimating the visibility of socially connected hidden populations, such as intravenous drug users or female sex workers, its applicability to measuring transmission bias for abortion is unknown. This study tests whether it is feasible to recruit a sample of women who have had abortions using respondent driven sampling in Ethiopia and Uganda. Ethiopia and Uganda represent different contexts of abortion restrictions and stigma; abortion is legally restricted in Uganda but is largely available on demand in Ethiopia. We also attempt to measure the visibility of abortion in both settings using the Game of Contacts and investigate whether there are differences in abortion visibility by key sociodemographic and abortion related indicators.

Keywords: Social network methods, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

See extended abstract.

  Presented in Session P9.