When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, a majority of the justices decided that abortion rights should be left up to individual states. New research shows that after two years, thousands of Americans in parts of the US with strict abortion restrictions are deciding to leave those states.
Following the Dobbs decision, the 13 states with strict abortion restrictions from Alabama to West Virginia collectively lost 36,000 residents per quarter, meaning the difference between the number of people leaving the states versus the number of people migrating out. Analysis From economists at the Georgia Institute of Technology and The College of Wooster and published this month by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
The analysis, which is based on address change data from the U.S. Postal Service, found that the state effect is larger in single-person households, which may suggest that young people move out of abortion-restricting states at higher rates. Are going. than families. This may result in greater challenges for families trying to relocate, given the need for parents to change schools or uproot careers.
A problem for states that ban abortion?
Although it is often viewed as a cultural or religious issue, access to abortion also has far-reaching economic impacts on both individuals and society. For example, the financial impact on women without access to abortion services has been well documented with turnaround studies. Search Those who refused the procedure had higher rates of financial problems and were more likely to rely on government assistance such as food stamps.
New research indicates that states with abortion bans could face long-term economic consequences if they lose large numbers of residents — especially young workers who are typically vital to the state's workforce.
,In terms of impact on states' economies, our results suggest that employers in states with restrictions may face challenges in attracting and retaining workers, particularly young workers, which could impact economic growth and development. “The researchers, Daniel L. Dench, Jason M. Lindow and Kelly Lifchez of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Jenci Ling Liu of The College of Wooster, wrote in an email to CBS MoneyWatch.
The study did not explore whether people moving out of states with abortion bans were men or women, or where they arrived, including states that protected abortion. But the impact is so significant that, over a five-year period, states that ban abortion could lose about 1% of their populations, the researchers said.
Abortion ban and weak safety net
Separately, an Associated Press analysis found that many states with strict abortion restrictions are failing to provide an adequate safety net. These range from difficulty accessing programs like food stamps to lack of access to doctors due to maternal care desert.
Republican state leaders in Tennessee — one of 13 states with total abortion bans — argue they are promoting services for families. For example, Tennessee expanded its Medicaid coverage for mothers from 60 days postpartum to one year in 2022, enabling an additional 3,000 mothers to access the program each year.
But Tennessee performed poorly in terms of special supplemental nutrition programs for women, infants and children, enrollment in Medicaid and requirements for adequate maternal care and paid family and medical leave, according to an October Study Published in the American Journal of Public Health. The analysis found that other states with abortion restrictions, including Alabama, Georgia and Missouri, also ranked poorly on several measures.
In states where abortion is restricted or limited to the early weeks of pregnancy, women with young children said it may be harder to get social services, according to a survey By health policy research organization KFF. Nearly half said it is difficult for women in their state to get food stamps, for example, compared with 3 in 10 in states where abortion is generally available.
“Those who claim to be pro-life, who advocate for these abortion restrictions, often suggest that these policies are designed to protect children, women, and families,” said Dr. Nigel Madden, lead author, said StudyBut the weakness in the safety net shows “the hypocrisy of that argument”.
Meanwhile, many young Americans are paying attention to access to state reproductive care. in 2022 axios votingNearly 6 in 10 18 to 29-year-olds said the state's abortion laws would influence their decision to live, ranging from “somewhat” to “a lot.”
Of course, there are many reasons why people choose to move out of a particular state, noted researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the College of Wooster. He added, “And states that ban abortion differ from states that protect or maintain abortion access in ways other than their policies on abortion.”
But the study concluded that lack of access to reproductive options, social services and medical care may make strict abortion states less attractive to some residents, particularly younger Americans.
Contributed to this report.