“Contraceptive Revolution” in Top 10 Downloaded Papers in the Labor Demographics and Economics eJournal

May 22, 2013 By in Uncategorized

The Stein Center paper “The Contraceptive Revolution Revisited: A Neo-Classical Model of Sex and Fertilty,” was listed on SSRN’s Top Ten download list for the Labor Demographics & Economics eJournal for March 23 to May 22, 2013.

The paper may be found here.

The top 10 papers for the Labor Demographics & Economics eJournal may be found here.

Safe Sex and the Press

February 14, 2013 By in Uncategorized Tags: ,

On February 13 the CDC released two reports and a fact sheet on sexually transmitted infections in the United States. The fact sheet can be found here.

The story was picked up by the Mail Online in an article with the title “‘Severe epidemic’ of sexually-transmitted diseases is sweeping the nation, warns CDC on Valentine’s Day.” The article ends with this helpful observation:

“[O]n the eve of Valentine’s Day, the CDC decided to release two new studies on the growth of STI’s and to urge people to practice abstinence or safe sex by using a form of birth control and getting tested.”

Apparently, according to the British press, using “a form of contraception” will prevent the spread of STIs. Will any form of contraception do, or only certain forms? How, for example, does the Pill prevent one from acquiring a sexually transmitted infection?

The theme that contraception is safe sex and safe sex prevents STIs is repeated so frequently that there are several websites devoted to debunking the myth that the Pill can prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as this one.

Perhaps someone could let the Mail Online know that they are not helping.

But Are Today’s Children of a Higher Quality?

November 28, 2012 By in Uncategorized Tags: , ,

Gary Becker famously theorized that, as real incomes rise, households prefer fewer children of higher quality to more children of lower quality. This thesis and the theory behind remains one of the most important explanations for the declining fertility rates in the United States and Europe. But are children of higher quality?

While there is no standard measure of quality, one would think that educational achievement would constitute a major component of quality. How does the educational achievement of today’s children compare with those a generation ago?

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. The NAEP 2004 Trends in Academic Progress reports:

  • “[b]etween 1999 and 2004, average reading scores at age 17 showed no measurable changes. The average score in 2004 was similar to that in 1971.” (p.10)
  • “the average [math] score [in 2004] was not measurably different from the average score in 1973 or 1999.” (p.16)

Over this same period, fertility rates have fallen from 74.5 children per 1000 women (ages 15-44) to 66.7 children per 1000 women, a 10.5% decrease. (NVSS Statistics)

So while fertility has decreased dramatically, educational achievement is unchanged since the 1970s.

Census Bureau and BLS Release New Poverty Measure Findings

November 16, 2012 By in Uncategorized

Census Bureau and BLS Release New Poverty Measure Findings

The traditional poverty measure is called the “official” measure.  The Census Bureau began developing an alternative measure, called the “supplemental” poverty measure, in 2009.  This report compares the “supplemental” measures to the “official” measures for 2011.  

 Apparently there is some hubbub over the supplemental measure because it is a relative measure and not an absolute measure.  The complete report can be found at this link.

What Evidence Shows that Welfare Programs Reduce the Number of Abortions?

September 12, 2012 By in Uncategorized Tags: ,

Catholics for Obama-Biden answers that question with the following evidence:

  • Findings from a 2007 study by Catholics United.
  • Findings from a 2008 study by Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good.
  • A study by Rutgers University cited by Dr. James Kelly in Sociology of Religion.
  • The claim that “three quarters of women say they cannot afford to have a child.”

Let’s examine these claims.

  • The 2007 study is a non peer-reviewed report published by a political advocacy organization.
  • The 2008 study is also a non peer-reviewed report by a political advocacy organization.
  • The Rutgers study cited by Dr. Kelly is from his presidential address to the Association for the Sociology of Religion, published in their journal. The Rutgers study comprises two non peer-reviewed reports for the state of New Jersey on their welfare reforms. The first report itself finds “a ‘not statistically significant’ difference in abortion rates between welfare women in the experimental group and in the control group.” (Kelly, p. 108, fn 17) The second report finds a “small but non-trivial” effect of family caps on abortion rates among African-American women on welfare. (Kelly, p.109)
  • The claim that “three quarters of women say they cannot afford to have a child” gives the impression that it is the only reason for 75% of abortions. This statistic is taken from a survey in which women could list multiple reasons for having abortions. “Of the 1,160 women who gave at least one reason, 89% gave at least two and 72% gave at least three; the median number of reasons given was four, and some women gave as many as eight reasons out of a possible 13.” (See Finer et al.)

This evidence is not sufficient to substantiate the claim that welfare programs, as whole, reduce the number of abortions. At most, this evidence would perhaps support the claim that caps to welfare benefits would would have a “small but non-trivial” effect on abortion rates among women on welfare.

References

Finer, Lawrence B., Lori F. Frohwirth, Lindsay A. Dauphinee, Susheela Singh and Ann M. Moore, “Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives,” Pespectives on Reproductive and Sexual Health 37(3), Sep 2005.

Kelly, James R., “Sociology and Public Theology: A Case Study of Pro-Choice/ Prolife Common Ground,” Sociology of Religion, 60(2): 99-124, Summer 1999.