Reproductive health and cyber (mis)representations: a content analysis of obstetrics and gynecology residency program websites.
BACKGROUND
Our study examines the ways in which obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn) residency programs describe abortion training opportunities and policies on their websites.


METHODS
From November 2006 through February 2007, we reviewed the websites of 246 accredited US Ob/Gyn residency programs for the presence of 16 categories of general program information as well as references to 10 reproductive health topics, including abortion. For programs that provided abortion training information, we cataloged those aspects of abortion care detailed on the website. After exporting data to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), we conducted descriptive statistical analyses and used analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-tests to compare the proportion of programs that included various website content areas.


RESULTS
Although over two thirds of program websites provide general curricular information, only 23.5% (n=58) make any reference to abortion. Programs at institutions with a Fellowship in Family Planning are more likely to provide information about family planning (p<.001), abortion (p<.01) and contraceptive services (p<.01) than programs without an associated fellowship. Only 43 programs (17.5%) offer information about abortion training opportunities and 17 programs (6.9%) provide information on abortion training policies.


CONCLUSIONS
The comprehensiveness of Ob/Gyn residency program websites varies considerably. Enhancing the general information and abortion training content of institutional websites offers programs an opportunity to better meet the needs of prospective residents.
Foster
Angel M
AM
Ibis Reproductive Health, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. afoster@ibisreproductivehealth.org
Jackson
Courtney B
CB
Martin
Sarah B
SB
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000193:education*; D003479:Curriculum; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000193:education; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014481:United States