Induced abortion in Denmark: effect of socio-economic situation and country of birth.
BACKGROUND
Equal access to health care is considered a key in Scandinavian healthcare policy. However, problematic differences between the socio-economic situation of immigrants and that of native Scandinavians are increasingly challenging this aspect of the Scandinavian welfare model. The present study focuses on how socio-economic characteristics and country of birth are associated with induced abortion.


METHODS
A structured questionnaire was used to collect information among 1351 women requesting abortion and a control group of 1306 women intending birth.


RESULTS
The strongest factor associated with the decision to have an abortion was being single (OR 39.1; 23.8-64.2), followed by being aged 19 years or below (OR 29.6; 13.4-65.5), having two children or more (OR 7.05; 5.29-9.39) and being unskilled (OR 2.48; 1.49-4.10), student (OR 2.29; 1.52-3.43) or unemployed (OR 1.65; 1.11-2.46). When evaluating the effect of social exposure on abortion among Danish-born and foreign-born women, the higher rate of abortion among non-Westerners was found to be caused by the composition of non-Westerners more often being unemployed, having a low income and having two or more children rather than the fact that they are coming from a non-Western country.


CONCLUSIONS
Immigrant women comprise a vulnerable group, with a poor socio-economic status. This situation exposes immigrant women to increased risk of induced abortion. In a society with an increasing heterogeneous population, the vulnerable situation of immigrant women has to be addressed, if equal access to health care is to be maintained.
Rasch
Vibeke
V
Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. v.rasch@pubhealth.ku.dk
Gammeltoft
Tine
T
Knudsen
Lisbeth B
LB
Tobiassen
Charlotte
C
Ginzel
Annelie
A
Kempf
Lillan
L
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D035862:Vulnerable Populations