Table 3.

Minnesota Primary Care Clinicians’ Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Medication Abortion (n = 162)

VariableKnowledge of medication abortionAttitudes toward medication abortion§
AgeCorrelation = 0.04Correlation = −0.01
Years in practiceCorrelation = 0.07Correlation = 0.03
Gender identity
 Man, male, masculine3.83 (2.23)2.85*** (2.51)
 Woman, female, feminine3.19 (1.95)1.89*** (1.97)
 Gender nonbinary, gender nonconforming2.50 (2.12)3.50*** (3.54)
Practice setting county classification
 Entirely urban3.35 (2.01)1.89* (1.95)
 Urban/town/rural mix3.55 (2.25)3.03* (2.75)
 Entirely rural or town/rural mix2.86 (1.68)2.81* (2.46)
Have you provided any prenatal care within the last year?
 Yes2.71*** (1.65)2.18 (2.22)
 No4.17*** (2.17)2.24 (2.21)
Have you provided any miscarriage management care within the last year?
 Yes2.95* (1.85)2.15 (2.16)
 No3.77* (2.13)2.27 (2.28)
Do you currently prescribe mifepristone and/or misoprostol in your practice for other types of care besides abortion (e.g., early pregnancy loss)?
 Yes2.56*** (1.62)1.92 (1.96)
 I don't, but others in my practice do3.04*** (1.80)2.25 (2.24)
 No4.15*** (2.14)2.46 (2.41)
Do you currently provide medication abortion in your practice?
 Yes1.92** (1.32)1.08* (0.28)
 I don't, but others in my practice do2.80** (1.54)1.40* (0.88)
 No3.52** (2.07)2.48* (2.42)
  • Data shown are from an online survey about interest in and barriers to prescribing medication abortion conducted in 2023.

  • Clinicians: those with the legal ability to prescribe medication abortion in Minnesota (MD, DO, CNM, PA, NP).

  • Seven-point scale where 1 is very confident in knowledge, 4 is neither confident nor unconfident in knowledge, and 7 is very unconfident in knowledge. Reported as Mean (Standard Deviation).

  • § Seven-point scale where 1 is very supportive, 4 is neither supportive nor unsupportive, and 7 is very unsupportive. Reported as Mean (Standard Deviation).

  • * , P < .05; **, P < .01; ***, P < .001 using a one-way ANOVA (for variables with three categories) or a two-sided t test (for variables with two categories).

  • Abbreviations: DO, doctor of osteopathic medicine studies; MD, doctor of medicine; NP, nurse practitioner; PA, physician assistant; CNM, certified nurse midwives.