Date of Award

January 2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Department

Economics & Finance

First Advisor

Fathollah Bagheri

Abstract

In this paper I expand on previous research of the determinants of abortion demand to examine the demand for abortion in the specific case of Pennsylvania, where precise statistics are available for each county. The data considered is for the years 2000 and 2010, and allows for cross sectional and panel data analysis, specifically, first-difference permitting to look at the effect of changes over time of specific explanatory variables. Careful attention is placed on variable selection techniques to avoid the use of low significance variables. The analysis allows controlling for price, as it is considered to be constant across the state, and for restrictive laws, as they are applied statewide. I also estimate the elasticity of demand for some key variables. The study introduces important demographic variables, such as fertility rate and the rate of women age 20 to 24 over women 15 to 49. Changes in demographic variables appear to have the greatest effect on changes in the abortion ratio, more than economic or behavioral variables.

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