Information about the Database:
Access to ANSIRH’s Abortion Facility Database (AFD) is available to support research and other activities that are consistent with ANSIRH’s mission and vision. Individuals may apply for access to the database by completing a Google form request at the “Apply Here” link below. Each data request will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Please note that database access is provided to individuals--not to whole organizations or entire research teams. If multiple members of a research team want to use the database, each individual user will need to submit a separate data request and confidentiality agreement. The database may not be shared with anyone who does not have ANSIRH’s approval to use it. If the database is stored on a shared server/drive/folder, all individuals with access to that server must have signed an AFD confidentiality agreement.
The AFD contains the following information for each abortion-providing facility: facility name, address, phone number, website URL (if available), type of abortion services provided (medication vs. procedural) and gestational limit, whether the facility is open or closed, whether the facility was providing abortion services at the time of last contact, and latitude/longitude coordinates of each facility. However, due to confidentiality restrictions, not all data are available for all requests. Please see specific data request types below.
*NOTE TO ALL USERS: Please note that the AFD is updated once annually (typically in the summer and fall of each calendar year) and thus is not appropriate for researchers, journalists, community members, or individuals looking for up-to-date information on facilities that are currently open and providing abortion services. For such requests, we recommend the online resources ineedana.com or abortionfinder.org to find available services, which are updated on a more timely basis.
Data Request Types:
Data for researchers: Each data request should have a clear research question and plan for distribution of results (if relevant). Please provide as much detail as possible in your request. Requests that do not include these elements will likely require additional information and will slow the approval process. Researchers will be provided with the variables listed above. All researchers will be required to sign a data confidentiality agreement before data will be provided. The AFD committee will respond to requests within 3-5 business days.
Data for journalists: Each request should have a clear explanation of its intended use (e.g., a news article on abortion in the South). Data available to journalists include: latitude/longitude coordinates for facility locations, facility zip code, and variables that indicate whether the facility is open and/or providing abortions in a given year. We may consider providing additional variables on an as-needed basis, but please note that we will not share addresses and/or facility names with journalists due to the sensitivity of these data. All journalists/media associates will be required to sign a data confidentiality agreement before data will be provided. The AFD committee will aim to respond to requests within 1 business day.
Data for students/learners: We welcome student projects and theses. However, we expect students to have a deep understanding of the sensitivity of these data and will require students to sign a data confidentiality agreement; students may need to consult with a faculty member/investigator to understand the agreement as needed. In the data request, whenever possible, students should name a faculty advisor who is involved in the project and who could serve as a reference. Please note that AFD data cannot be shared with other students, groups, or researchers (e.g. data cannot be stored on a shared drive or posted on a class website, including an ArcGIS site). If students have questions about appropriate data use, please feel free to contact the AFD team at abortionfacilitydatabase@ucsf.edu. The AFD committee will respond to requests within 3-5 business days.
Please note that data usage is contingent on crediting ANSIRH using the following suggested citation:
Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), University of California, San Francisco. October 2023.
