Abstract

This study was conducted to grasp the condition of freshman's knowledge and attitudes on abortion and to offer the basic materials to prevent abortion in family planning and health promotion. The objects were comprised of 290 who volunteered from 3 Junior colleges. The material of this study was by questionaire(chronbach alpha=.8589, .8959) suited to the purpose of this research which has been made through studying references. All the questionaires were collected immediately without explanation. The data was collected from the 29th of April to the 17th of May in 1996. Analysis of the data was done utilizing SPSS program for percentage, mean+/-standard deviation and ANOVA. The results are as follows: 1. General features of the objects of study. Mean age was 20.47, mean of brothers and sisters was 2.93. Those who had no experience in abortion with her mother was 59.0%, and the middle social level was the highest (95.5%). 2. The conditions of attitudes about abortion. 5 points were given to "very affirming" and, 1 point was given to "strong denial" the total average was 4.00, and the range was 4.83~2.99. 3. The condition of knowledge about abortion. 5 point were given to "very affirming" and, 1 point was given to "strong denial", the total average was 2.75, the range was 3.65~2.18. Also knowledge of abortion was 6.2 points. Knowledge of medical and therapeutic abortion was 9.4 points. Knowledge of the physical complications of abortion was 3.4 points. 4. Correlation between general features and attitude variables. Age groups may have a higher affirmative attitude score in abortion(F=8.097, p<.000). The having 2 sisters group may have a low attitude towards abortion(F=10.34l, p<.000). Experience in abortion with mother group may have a lower affirmative score concerning abortion (t=8.925, p<.000). 5. Correlation between general features and knowledge variables. Age groups may have a higher knowledge score in abortion (F=10.829, p<.000). The having brothers group may have more high knowledge in abortion(F=2.534, p<.050). The 22~23 years group may have higher knowledge in abortion (F=3.075, p<.028). The having more than 2 sisters group have more higher knowledge in abortion(F=5.605, p<.004). The having more the 3 brothers group may have higher knowledge the physical complications in abortion(F=4.022, p<.019). 6. Correlation between regions of the major variables and knowledge, attitude variables. There was no significance in the statistics.