Population Council Projects | National Survey of Mexican Catholics’ Values and Reproductive Health Opinions and Practices

PROJECT
National Survey of Mexican Catholics’ Values and Reproductive Health Opinions and Practices

In Mexico the Catholic Church wields great influence and plays a prominent public role in the life of the country’s citizens, most of whom are Catholic. In addition the country has seen active public debate in recent years around abortion and reproductive health issues (including emergency contraception and sexual education). Given this situation, it is especially important to understand the beliefs of Mexican Catholics regarding reproductive health issues and the role of the church in political debate and legislation.

In June and July 2003, in collaboration with the Mexico affiliate of Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir, Population Council researchers interviewed a nationally representative probability sample of 2,328 Mexican Catholic men and women aged 18 years and older in their households to learn about their knowledge and opinions on a variety of relevant social, political, religious, and health issues.

The researchers found that Mexican Catholics are strongly in favor of government provision of contraceptives (96 percent), sex education in public schools (93 percent), and the rights of adolescents (82 percent) and adults (91 percent) to have access to contraceptives, and are strongly against the participation of the church in politics, with 82 percent of respondents stating that the secular government should be protected from the church’s influence. Respondents also stated that women should have access to emergency contraception both in the case of rape (88 percent) and at the woman’s request after an act of unprotected sex (76 percent).

Parallel surveys of Catholics in Bolivia, Brazil, and Colombia have since been carried out by each country’s Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir affiliate.

Location

Mexico

Duration

January 2003–December 2005

Population Council researcher

Sandra Garcia

Non-Council collaborator

Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir—Mexico

Donor

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Publications
Council researchers' names appear in boldface type.

2005
Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir and Population Council. "Resultados de la encuesta de opinión Católica en México" [Results of the survey of Mexican Catholics], report summary. Mexico City: Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir. (PDF)

2004
Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir and Population Council. "Encuesta de opinión Católica en México: Julio 2003" [Survey of Mexican Catholics: July 2003]. Mexico City: Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir. (PDF)