Faculty Publications

A Benefit-Cost Analysis Of Family Planning Services In Iowa

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Evaluation & the Health Professions

Volume

11

Issue

4

First Page

403

Last Page

424

Abstract

An analysis of publicly funded family planning services in Iowa was undertaken to provide tangible estimates based on local data of the value of these services in averting unplanned and unwanted births to women who voluntarily use them. The study reports methods that can be applied by other states in evaluating their own family planning programs. Benefits were measured as the cost savings in public expenditures avoided by providing family planning services to low and marginal-income women. Iowa data for AFDC, food stamps, and Medicaid payments were used to calculate benefits. The total benefit savings were adjusted to reflect the impact of family planning services on preventing births. The adjusted savings were accrued over one-year and five-year time frames and for four age groups (14-19, 20-29, 30-34, and 35-44). lin the base year, the cost of providing family planning services in Iowa to the more than 56,000 women who used them was $3.1 million, or $59 per user. Results showed that the benefits of family planning services were highest for teenagers who would become eligible for public assistance programs upon the birth of a child. © 1988, SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC. All rights reserved.

Department

Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations

Original Publication Date

1-1-1988

DOI of published version

10.1177/016327878801100401

Link to Full Text

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