Academic Journal
Abortion information seeking: Engaged patients, stigma, and emotion work.
| Title: | Abortion information seeking: Engaged patients, stigma, and emotion work. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Heymann O; The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Department of Sociology, United States. Electronic address: heymanno@uwosh.edu., Gyuras H; The University of Cincinnati, Department of Sociology, United States. Electronic address: gyurashj@mail.uc.edu., Odum T; The University of Cincinnati, Department of Sociology, United States. Electronic address: odumtc@ucmail.uc.edu., Bessett D; The University of Cincinnati, Department of Sociology, United States. Electronic address: bessetde@ucmail.uc.edu. |
| Source: | Social science & medicine (1982) [Soc Sci Med] 2026 Jul; Vol. 401, pp. 119368. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 May 04. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Pergamon Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 8303205 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1873-5347 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 02779536 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Soc Sci Med Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Oxford ; New York : Pergamon, c1982- |
| MeSH Terms: | Abortion, Induced*/psychology , Emotions* , Social Stigma* , Information Seeking Behavior*, Humans ; Female ; Adult ; Ohio ; Pregnancy ; Interviews as Topic ; Qualitative Research ; Young Adult |
| Abstract: | Patients' experiences of obtaining information for stigmatized health concerns remain understudied. We examine abortion patients' accounts of abortion information-seeking and the emotions they brought to or developed from that process. Drawing on 41 interviews with Ohio abortion patients, we find that information work, the labor of assembling and evaluating health information, involved emotion work. Abortion stigma intensified this emotion work. Consequently, participants engaged in different strategies to minimize this labor, including avoiding information when faced with stigma and misinformation. We argue that the current abortion information environment often burdens abortion seekers and that information-seeking may not always be beneficial in stigmatized health contexts. Our findings have implications for understanding patient engagement and avoidance in abortion care, with implications for how people seek and manage information in other emotional or politicized health contexts. (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260506 Date Completed: 20260716 Latest Revision: 20260716 |
| Update Code: | 20260716 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119368 |
| PMID: | 42091000 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
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