198902 Reproductive Health and The Road Back to Science

Wednesday, November 11, 2009: 12:30 PM

Deborah R. McFarlane, DrPH, MPA , Political Science, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
In recent years, new public policies toward reproductive health have been based more on faith and ideology than upon scientific evidence. This paper examines select American public policies toward both domestic and international sexuality education, contraception, and abortion. In so doing, the political genesis of each policy is described as well as its foundation in scientific evidence. The implications of both politics and science for future reproductive health policy development are discussed.

Learning Objectives:
Describe the principles for evidence-based reproductive health policies. Discuss the range of topics covered by reproductive health policies. Differentiate between domestic and international policies.

Keywords: Public Policy, Evidence Based Practice

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have written many articles and a book addressing reproductive health policies.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: New Directions: Policy and Advocacy in Family Planning
See more of: Population, Reproductive and Sexual Health