Socio-Economic Determinants Of Abortion Rates

Abortion rates are increasing all around the world, especially for young women. Our proposals for public policies to reduce unwanted pregnancies are based on an analysis of the socio-economic determinants of abortion rates. Special attention is paid to regional levels of alcohol consumption, living conditions, and public spending on health and education. We carry out estimations using data on regions in Spain from 1999 to 2004. There is empirical evidence that socioeconomic conditions, lifestyles and regional characteristics determine regional abortion rates. Our results suggest that it is important to design public policies to reduce alcohol abuse, improve citizens’ working conditions and promote gender equality through government subsidized childcare.abortion rates; unplanned pregnancy; public policies.

Are Drinkers Prone To Engage In Risky Sexual Behaviors?

Sexually transmitted diseases pose an important public health problem around the world. Although many studies have explored the link between alcohol use and risky sexual practices, the unobserved differences among individuals make it difficult to assess whether the associations are casual in nature. In order to overcome these difficulties, we have obtained data from the Spanish Health and Sexual Behavior Survey (2003) in order to analyze risky sexual behaviors using four alternative methodologies: controlling results with a rich set of variables; identifying the impact of alcohol use while assuming there is an identical selection outcome for observed and unobserved variables; estimating alcohol consumption and risky sexual behaviors simultaneously based on instrumental variables; and using reduced-form equations to analyze the impact of alcohol prices and other alcohol policies on the likelihood of risky intercourse. We provide empirical evidence that alcohol abuse might increase the probability of risky sex and, more importantly, different alcohol policies are not only effective tools for reducing alcohol demand but also for controlling risky sexual behaviors.alcohol; sexually transmitted diseases; unobserved individual heterogeneity.

Internal inconsistency and risk aversion: Implications on smoking decisions

The main contribution of this paper is an analysis of the nature of the link between internal coherence and risk aversion. Both variables play an important role in individual decisions concerning risk behaviors. We compare the levels of internal consistency and risk aversion among smokers and non-smokers. To measure the individual internal coherence and risk aversion, we use a survey that includes lottery questions. Our results confirm that smokers are consistent in their decisions and they behave as risk averse. These results should be treated with circumspection as lottery questions are based on monetary expectations that depend on socio-economic conditions and they obviate other dimensions such as social recognition. La principal contribución de este artículo es analizar la naturaleza de la asociación entre la coherencia interna y la aversión al riesgo. Ambas variables juegan un papel principal en las decisiones individuales sobre comportamientos de riesgo, tal que como caso particular, comparamos los niveles consistencia interna y aversión al riesgo entre fumadores y no fumadores. Para medir la coherencia interna y la aversión al riesgo individual, recurrimos a una encuesta que incluye preguntas de loterías. Nuestros resultados confirman que los fumadores son consistentes en sus decisiones, y de hecho, se comportan como adversos al riesgo. Estos resultados hay que tomarlos con cautela, pues las preguntas sobre loterías se basan principalmente en expectativas monetarias que dependen de condiciones socio-económicas obviando otras dimensiones como el reconocimiento social

Del capital humano al capital social: estrategias de prevención del consumo de alcohol

La riqueza de una nación ya no se identifica exclusivamente con sus dotaciones económicas y sus recursos naturales, sino que también integra otras dos formas de capital: humano y social. De hecho, una comunidad rica seria aquella que simultáneamente y de manera equilibrada, incrementa sus cuotas en estos cuatro recursos. Por tanto, dada la importancia del capital humano y social en el desarrollo económico sostenible, es necesario ahondar en su relación de complementariedad. La formación de ambos capitales depende de un conjunto amplio de factores interrelacionados entre los que destacamos la importancia del sistema educativo y de la salud poblacional. Las condiciones y los comportamientos de riesgo para la salud comprometen su desarrollo. El consumo de bebidas alcohólicas nos brinda un marco idóneo para contrastar nuestra línea argumentativa. En este sentido, la apuesta por estrategias de prevención y promoción de la salud supone un difícil ejercicio de coordinación entre los distintos poderes públicos, que implica la planificación de políticas de desarrollo a largo plazo

Psychosocial determinants of risky sexual behaviour by gender in Spain

Objectives: This study examines the determinants of risky sexual behaviour by gender in Spain. Methods: Data was taken from the Spanish Health and Sexual Behaviour Survey (2003). Controlled regression results for a wide set of variables (socio-demographic characteristics, behaviour, knowledge and attitudes) were calculated and a factor analysis to group and to rank variables by explanatory power was carried out. Gender differences were analysed by means of repeated estimations by sub-samples of men and women. Differences based on age and sexual orientations were also taken into account. Results: HIV risk perceptions and opinions on the use of condoms are important predictors of unsafe sex for both genders. Men not only have more negative opinions of male condoms than women but these opinions are more likely to result in risky sexual behaviours. The consumption of alcohol appears to be linked to unsafe sex among young people, especially young heterosexual men. Conclusions: As perceptions and opinions are susceptible to change, the authors suggest the implementation of gender-oriented educational campaigns and policies on sexual and reproductive health. Effective education on alcohol consumption could reduce the negative outcomes associated with unsafe sex