Policy surveillance for a global analysis of national abortion laws
Genre
Journal articleDate
2022-05-18Group
Center for Public Health Law Research (Temple University. James E. Beasley School of Law)Subject
AbortionLaw
Policy
Medical abortion
Self-managed abortion
Comparative law
Policy surveillance
Legal epidemiology
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http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/8144
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https://doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2022.2064208Abstract
Policy surveillance offers a novel and important method for comparing law across jurisdictions. We used policy surveillance to examine abortion laws across the globe. Self-managed abortion, which generally takes place outside formal healthcare settings, is increasing in prevalence and can be safe. We analysed provisions that do not account for the prevalence of self-managed abortion and evidence of its safety. Such provisions require that abortion take place in a formal healthcare setting. We also analysed criminal penalties for non-compliance. Our method included development of a legal framework, an iterative process of refining coding schemes and procedures, and rigorous quality control. We limited our analysis to liberal abortion laws for two reasons. Abortion laws globally trend towards less restrictive. In addition, we aimed to focus on how laws relate to abortion outside a formal healthcare setting specifically and excluded laws that prohibit abortion more broadly. We found that in all countries with liberal national abortion laws, the law permits only healthcare professionals or trained health workers to perform legal abortion and the majority require the abortion to take place in a specified health facility. With policy surveillance methods we can illuminate characteristics of law across many jurisdictions and the need for widespread reform, toward laws that reflect scientific evidence and the way people have abortions.Citation
Patty Skuster, Jamie Menzel, Adrienne R. Ghorashi & Megan Perkins (2022) Policy surveillance for a global analysis of national abortion laws, Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 30:1, DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2022.2064208Citation to related work
Taylor and FrancisHas part
Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, Vol. 30ADA compliance
For Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation, including help with reading this content, please contact scholarshare@temple.eduae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/8116
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