Gretchen E. Ely

The undue burden of paying for abortion: An exploration of abortion fund cases

ABSTRACT The results of a secondary data analysis of 3,999 administrative cases from a national abortion fund, representing patients who received pledges for financial assistance to pay for an abortion from 2010 to 2015, are presented. Case data from the fund’s national call center was analyzed to assess the impact of the fund and examine sample demographics which were compared to the demographics of national abortion patients. Procedure costs, patient resources, funding pledges, additional aid, and changes over time in financial pledges for second-trimester procedures were also examined. Results indicate that the fund sample differed from national abortion patients in that fund patients were primarily single, African American, and seeking funding for second trimester abortions. Patients were also seeking to fund expensive procedures, costing an average of over

“Social Work Is a Profession, Not an Ideology”: A Qualitative Analysis of Student Perceptions of Social Justice Discussions in the Classroom

2,000; patients were receiving over

A trauma-informed social work framework for the abortion seeking experience

1,000 per case in pledges and other aid; and funding pledges for second trimester procedures were increasing over time. Abortion funding assistance is essential for women who are not able to afford abortion costs, and it is particularly beneficial for patients of color and those who are younger and single. Repeal of policy banning public funding of abortion would help to eliminate financial barriers that impede abortion access.

A trauma-informed examination of the hardships experienced by abortion fund patients in the United States

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to describe student perceptions of their experiences around social justice discussions in the social work classroom through a qualitative, grounded theory framework. Student responses from a qualitative section of a survey were analyzed and sorted into three categories: perceived discrimination, heightened self-awareness/self-assessment, and future social work practice. Each of these categories was derived from comparable multiple themes stemming from the student responses. A conceptual model resulting from the analysis suggests that students who shared experiences of perceived discrimination during classroom discussions could develop an enhanced self-awareness, which would result in an added empathy for clients in their future social work practice. Suggestions for teaching strategies and directions for future research are also discussed.

Microfinance participation and contraceptive use and intention in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT This purpose of this article is to discuss the abortion seeking experience in relation to stress, trauma, and trauma-informed care. Definitions of stress and trauma are provided, and potential points of stress during the abortion seeking experience will be discussed in the areas of unintended pregnancy, policy barriers, provider access, and the external clinic environment. Abortion stigma will also be discussed in relation to individual stigma, mass media stigma, community stigma, social work practitioner stigma, and the impact of stigma on the abortion seeking experience. Next, we discuss a trauma-informed lens for considering the abortion seeking experience in the United States, and a trauma-informed social work framework for interacting with clients during the abortion experience is presented as a practice approach for reducing and eliminating trauma and trauma triggers. We then present the potential benefits of this approach. The article concludes with some additional recommendations for a trauma-informed approach to aspects of social work advocacy.

A cross-cultural exploration of abortion fund patients in the USA and the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man

ABSTRACT Researchers describe hardships experienced by abortion patients, examining administrative health cases from 2010 to 2015 in the United States. All patients received financial assistance from an abortion fund to help pay for abortion. Case data were analyzed to assess types and numbers of hardships experienced by age, race, and geographic origin. Hardships ranged from homelessness to parenting multiple children. Patients from the geographic South experienced the most hardships, followed by those from the Midwest. Hardships experienced by abortion fund patients are like those reported in other samples of abortion patients; hardships potentially cause or exacerbate trauma. Results are discussed in the context of a trauma-informed perspective.

Predicting personal self-care in informal caregivers

This study assessed the association between microfinance participation and contraceptive use and intention among 46,639 women between the ages of 15 and 49 years from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (BDHS) 2007, 2011, and 2014 using chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression. The multivariate model revealed that the model explained 14 percent of the variance in contraceptive use and intention. Adjusted beta coefficients revealed that when microfinance participation increased by one unit, use of modern methods of contraception significantly increased by 0.32. The study findings suggest that women are more likely to use modern methods of contraception when they participate in microfinance.

Sexual health behaviors and outcomes among current and former foster youth: A review of the literature

Abstract This paper details results of a study examining administrative case data from 2010–2015 from abortion funds serving the USA and the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. Driven by the available data, the researchers compared organisational characteristics, patient characteristics, procedural costs, patient resources and the ratio between patient resources and procedural costs. Independent t-tests were conducted to assess whether differences in characteristics, costs or resources were significant. The number of patients serviced by abortion funds across the two datasets increased yearly from 2010–2015. While patients in the USA had more resources, on average, to contribute to their abortion procedure, Irish, Northern Irish and Manx patients had the resources to pay for a greater percentage of their costs, on average, which was mainly attributable to the differences in gestational age of those helped by the different abortion funds. Patients across all nations were similar in terms of their marital status, average age and number of existing children. Patients across these countries face expensive procedures and a lack of resources that are bridged in part by abortion fund assistance.

Where are They from and How Far Must They Go? Examining Location and Travel Distance in U.S. Abortion Fund Patients

ABSTRACT Caregiver research often focuses on negative health outcomes, yet little is known about the self-care practices of caregivers. The present study investigates self-care practices among family caregivers and the relationships between personal self-care, perceived stress, and other health variables. Data were collected from informal caregivers through self-administered Internet and paper surveys that included the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item Health Survey, Perceived Stress Scale, and Self-Care Practices Scale. Personal self-care was most strongly associated with emotional well-being, pain, perceived stress, and general health. The relevance of study findings to strengthening family caregiver programs and future research is discussed.