Support abortion for any reason (Demographic Patterns)

Please tell me whether or not you think it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion . . . G. If the woman wants it for any reason?. Results weighted by WTCOMB (General Social Survey 2008 Cross-Section and Panel Combined)

Support abortion for any reason by Age

	18-29 years old	30-44 years old	45-59 years old	60-74 years old	75 years and old	Missing	TOTAL
Yes	38.8% 193	40.7% 258	44.0% 298	36.0% 141	30.6% 57	8	39.7% 947
No	60.6% 301	56.9% 361	52.7% 357	60.2% 236	64.0% 119	7	57.6% 1374
Don't know	0.2% 1	2.2% 14	2.5% 17	3.3% 13	4.3% 8	1	2.2% 53
No answer	0.4% 2	0.2% 1	0.7% 5	0.5% 2	1.1% 2	0	0.5% 12
Missing	243	324	334	181	64	0	1146
TOTAL	100.0% 497	100.0% 634	100.0% 677	100.0% 392	100.0% 186	16	2386

Support abortion for any reason by Sex

	Male	Female	TOTAL
Yes	40.7% 440	38.9% 515	39.7% 955
No	56.8% 613	58.1% 769	57.5% 1382
Don't know	1.9% 21	2.5% 33	2.2% 54
No answer	0.6% 6	0.5% 6	0.5% 12
Missing	536	620	1156
TOTAL	100.0% 1080	100.0% 1323	2403

Support abortion for any reason by Region

	Northeast	Midwest	South	West	TOTAL
Yes	49.3% 198	42.9% 210	29.9% 262	44.8% 285	39.7% 955
No	47.3% 190	55.7% 273	67.4% 591	51.6% 328	57.5% 1382
Don't know	2.5% 10	1.0% 5	2.3% 20	3.1% 20	2.3% 55
No answer	1.0% 4	0.4% 2	0.5% 4	0.5% 3	0.5% 13
Missing	203	270	431	251	1155
TOTAL	100.0% 402	100.0% 490	100.0% 877	100.0% 636	2405

Support abortion for any reason by Political ideology

	Liberal	Moderate	Conservative	Missing	TOTAL
Yes	59.4% 373	41.4% 372	23.8% 187	23	40.3% 932
No	38.4% 241	55.6% 500	74.4% 584	57	57.3% 1325
Don't know	2.2% 14	2.1% 19	1.5% 12	9	1.9% 45
No answer	0.0% 0	0.9% 8	0.3% 2	2	0.4% 10
Missing	303	416	402	0	1121
TOTAL	100.0% 628	100.0% 899	100.0% 785	91	2312

Support abortion for any reason by Religion

	Protestant	Catholic	Jewish	None	Other	Missing	TOTAL
Yes	32.1% 384	37.6% 227	60.6% 20	64.7% 253	41.4% 70	1	39.8% 954
No	65.2% 781	59.4% 359	39.4% 13	33.5% 131	55.0% 93	5	57.5% 1377
Don't know	2.1% 25	2.5% 15	0.0% 0	1.8% 7	3.6% 6	1	2.2% 53
No answer	0.7% 8	0.5% 3	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0	0.5% 11
Missing	558	302	30	190	69	0	1149
TOTAL	100.0% 1198	100.0% 604	100.0% 33	100.0% 391	100.0% 169	7	2395

Support abortion for any reason by Race

	White	Black	Other	TOTAL
Yes	41.1% 765	36.1% 112	33.3% 77	39.7% 954
No	56.3% 1048	61.9% 192	61.5% 142	57.5% 1382
Don't know	2.1% 39	1.3% 4	4.8% 11	2.2% 54
No answer	0.5% 10	0.6% 2	0.4% 1	0.5% 13
Missing	912	137	107	1156
TOTAL	100.0% 1862	100.0% 310	100.0% 231	2403

Support abortion for any reason by Education

	Left high school	High school	Junior college	Bachelor	Graduate	Missing	TOTAL
Yes	24.8% 79	37.2% 462	39.7% 73	48.6% 204	58.1% 136	0	39.8% 954
No	72.4% 231	60.1% 747	56.5% 104	49.0% 206	39.7% 93	0	57.6% 1381
Don't know	2.8% 9	1.9% 24	2.7% 5	2.4% 10	2.1% 5	1	2.2% 53
No answer	0.0% 0	0.7% 9	1.1% 2	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	1	0.5% 11
Missing	168	543	114	221	111	0	1157
TOTAL	100.0% 319	100.0% 1242	100.0% 184	100.0% 420	100.0% 234	2	2399

Notes

The General Social Surveys (GSS) have been conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) annually since 1972, except for the years 1979, 1981, and 1992 (a supplement was added in 1992), and biennially beginning in 1994. The GSS are designed to be part of a program of social indicator research, replicating questionnaire items and wording in order to facilitate time-trend studies. The 2008 GSS featured special modules on attitudes toward science and technology, self-employment, terrorism preparation, global economics, sports and leisure, social inequality, sexual behaviors and religion. Items on religion covered denominational affiliation, church attendance, religious upbringing, personal beliefs, and religious experiences.

The GSS is in transition from a replicating cross-sectional design to a design that uses rotating panels. In 2008 there were two components: a new 2008 cross-section with 2,023 cases and the first re-interviews (panel) with 1,536 respondents from the 2006 GSS. The 2,023 cases in the cross-section have been previously released as a part of the 1972-2008 cumulative data. This new release includes those 1,536 re-interviewed panel cases along with the 2,023 cases. Please note that this is not a cumulative file - those cases and variables not surveyed in 2008 are excluded. Also note that, although those 1,536 cases were from the 2006 sample, this release does not include their responses in 2006. We plan to release a data file with the previous responses in the future. This release introduces new variables that were asked only of the panel cases of the 2008 GSS. The majority of variables introduced are related to the 2007 International Social Survey Program (ISSP) module on leisure time and sports.