Abortion rates in the United States
Subtitle: the influence of opinion and policy
By: Matthew E. Wetstein.
Series: SUNY series in health care politics and policy
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Published: 1996
Place of publication: Albany
Language: eng
Number of pages: 153
Subjects: Abortion -- United States -- States -- Statistics.; Abortion -- United States -- Public opinion.; Public opinion -- United States.; Abortion -- Government policy -- United States -- States.
Description: 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.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 131-143) and index.