Abortion rates in the United States : the influence of opinion and policy / Matthew E. Wetstein.

By:

Wetstein, Matthew E, 1963-

Material type: Text

TextSeries: SUNY series in health care politics and policyPublication details: Albany : State University of New York Press, �1996.Description: 1 online resource (xv, 153 pages) : illustrationsContent type:

text

Media type:

computer

Carrier type:

online resource

ISBN:

058507593X
9780585075938

Subject(s):

Genre/Form:

Additional physical formats: Print version:: Abortion rates in the United States.DDC classification:

363.4/6/0973 20

LOC classification:

HQ767.5.U5 W46 1996eb

Online resources:

Click here to access online

Contents:

1. The Link Between Public Opinion and Policy -- 2. The Supreme Court and Abortion Policy -- 3. The Impact of Policy Change: Courts and Legislatures -- 4. The Structure and Stability of Attitudes on Abortion -- 5. State Public Opinion and Abortion Policy -- 6. Abortion Policy in the United States -- 7. Explaining Abortion Rates in the United States -- 8. Conclusion.

Summary: Few studies make a direct connection between public opinion, public policies, and the behavior of the mass public. This book demonstrates for the first time that such a connection can be found when examining abortion politics in the United States. Using public opinion data for all fifty states, the author demonstrates the state policies to restrict abortion closely match the preferences of the mass public. More important, he shows a profound link between public opinion on abortion and abortion rates in the United States. Where state publics are more permissive in their attitudes toward abortion, state policies tend to be more permissive, and rates of abortion utilization tend to be higher. The book also explores the impact of policy changes on abortion rates. Using sophisticated statistical techniques, the author examines policy changes at both the state and national level. The analysis points to an intriguing paradox: national policy changes have no real effect on abortion rates, yet state policy changes do. This finding suggests that the states are the place to look for significant changes in abortion utilization in response to policy.

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Includes bibliographical references (pages 131-143) and index.

Few studies make a direct connection between public opinion, public policies, and the behavior of the mass public. This book demonstrates for the first time that such a connection can be found when examining abortion politics in the United States. Using public opinion data for all fifty states, the author demonstrates the state policies to restrict abortion closely match the preferences of the mass public. More important, he shows a profound link between public opinion on abortion and abortion rates in the United States. Where state publics are more permissive in their attitudes toward abortion, state policies tend to be more permissive, and rates of abortion utilization tend to be higher. The book also explores the impact of policy changes on abortion rates. Using sophisticated statistical techniques, the author examines policy changes at both the state and national level. The analysis points to an intriguing paradox: national policy changes have no real effect on abortion rates, yet state policy changes do. This finding suggests that the states are the place to look for significant changes in abortion utilization in response to policy.

Print version record.

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