Relationship between individuals’ stigmatizing attitudes towards abortion, family planning attitudes, and fatalism in health: a cross-sectional study

Background. Abortion regulations and associated social stigma in Türkiye significantly inf luence access to reproductive health services and decision-making. Societal beliefs in fatalism and religious inf luences further shape healthcare utilization, contributing to increased risky behaviors and reluctance to seek treatment. Material and methods. This study investigates the relationship between stigmatizing attitudes towards abortion, attitudes towards family planning, and religious health fatalism. Designed as a descriptive and correlational study, it included 1,495 participants aged 18 and older. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27-V. Results. The participants exhibited moderate levels of stigmatizing attitudes towards abortion and health-related fatalism and high levels of positive attitudes towards family planning. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a moderate negative relationship between stigmatizing attitudes towards abortion and attitudes towards family planning, alongside a moderate positive relationship between stigmatizing attitudes towards abortion and health-related fatalism. Conclusions. The findings highlight that opposition to abortion negatively impacts attitudes towards family planning, with religious beliefs and fatalistic views significantly shaping these attitudes. Community awareness programs addressing stigma around abortion and family planning can enhance service accessibility. Moreover, culturally sensitive counseling and educational initiatives addressing the influence of religious and fatalistic beliefs could foster a better understanding of reproductive health, improving health outcomes within society.