title: Role-players in abortion decision-making in the Accra Metropolis, Ghana.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Making the final decision to terminate a pregnancy can be influenced by different circumstances involving various individuals. This paper describes the key players involved in the decision-making process regarding abortions among women who elected to undergo an induced abortion in a cosmopolitan urban setting in Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cross-sectional mixed method study was conducted between January and December 2011. A total of 401 women with records in abortion logbooks were selected for an interviewer-administered questionnaire and an in-depth interview. Descriptive and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to assess the quantitative data, and a thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings of the study reveal that pregnant individuals, mothers of abortion-seekers, male partners, and "Others" (for example, friends, employers) were instrumental in making a decision to terminate unplanned/unwanted pregnancies. Several key factors influenced the decision-making processes, including aversion from the men responsible for the pregnancy, concerns about abnormalities/deformities in future births due to unprofessionally conducted abortions, and economic considerations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A number of individuals, such as friends, mothers, and male partners, influence the decision-making process regarding abortion among the participants of the study. Various targeted messages are needed for the various participants in the decision.
authors.forename: Akwasi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumi-Kyereme
authors.forename: Fred Yao
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Gbagbo
authors.affiliation: Department of Population and Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana. joshua.amo-adjei@ucc.edu.gh.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amo-Adjei
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult