Attitudes Toward Abortion and Risk Propensity in Relation to Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria

Adolescence is a critical developmental period marked by significant physical, psychological, and social changes, during which health-related behaviors are established. In Nigeria, abortion remains a highly sensitive issue shaped by cultural, religious, and legal contexts, yet empirical evidence on how adolescents’ attitudes toward abortion relate to broader health behaviors remains limited. This study examined the relationship between adolescents’ attitudes toward abortion, risk propensity, and healthy lifestyle behaviors among in-school adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving 322 adolescents selected from 11 public secondary schools in Akinyele Local Government Area. Data were collected using standardized instruments measuring attitudes toward abortion, risk propensity, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and independent t-tests were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that attitudes toward abortion and risk propensity were not significantly associated with healthy lifestyle behaviors, either jointly or independently. In addition, demographic variables including gender, age, religion, family type, and ethnicity did not show significant relationships with healthy lifestyle outcomes. No significant differences in healthy lifestyle behaviors were found based on gender or family structure. This study contributes to the adolescent health literature by providing empirical evidence that challenges commonly assumed associations between abortion attitudes, risk-taking tendencies, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. The findings suggest that adolescent health behaviors in this context may be shaped more strongly by broader socio-economic, environmental, and structural factors than by individual attitudes or risk propensity alone, underscoring the need for more comprehensive and context-sensitive models of adolescent health promotion.