Abstract
Despite the size of the Asian population in New York City (NYC) and the city’s robust abortion surveillance system, abortion-related estimates for this population have not been calculated previously. This study examined the use of abortion services among specific Asian groups in NYC from 2011–2015. Using NYC surveillance data, we estimated abortion rates for Asians, disaggregated by five country of origin groups and nativity status, and for other major racial/ethnic groups. We compared rates between groups and over time. From 2014–2015, the abortion rate for Asian women in NYC was 12.6 abortions per 1000 women aged 15–44 years, lower than the rates for other major racial/ethnic groups. Among country of origin groups, Indian women had the highest rate (30.5 abortions per 1000 women), followed by Japanese women (17.0), Vietnamese women (13.0), Chinese women (8.8), and Korean women (5.1). Rates were higher for U.S.-born Asian groups compared to foreign-born groups, although the differential varied by country of origin. The abortion rate declined or remained steady for nearly all Asian groups from 2011–2015. These findings reinforce the importance of disaggregating data on this population at multiple levels and begin to provide much-needed evidence on the use of abortion services among Asian groups.
Highlights
This study improves our understanding of abortion prevalence among specific Asian groups in New York City (NYC) and serves as a scientific anchor for future research and policies that seek to advance the reproductive health of Asian American populations
While the abortion rates in this study cannot tell us about people’s lives or experiences obtaining services, they do demonstrate that abortion is common and necessary for all groups, including Asians
Comprehensive and granular data are integral to understanding public health trends, including trends in abortion access and use, and this study underscores the value and feasibility of examining abortion data disaggregated at multiple levels
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. One in four women aged 15–44 years in the United States (U.S.) will have an abortion in her lifetime; it is a common experience in the U.S and a critical component of sexual and reproductive health care [1]. Understanding socio-demographic patterns of abortions in the U.S provides important context to identify how policies, service-related barriers, or other structural inequities may differentially shape access to abortion for specific groups. Robust abortion surveillance can be one public health strategy to ensure equitable access to and delivery of abortion services across all populations [2]
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