Washington, D.C. — A recent analysis conducted by the Center for American Progress has shed light on the significant disparities in travel times for women seeking abortion care across different congressional districts in the United States. The findings highlight the challenges faced by women in accessing essential reproductive healthcare services following the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
The analysis, authored by Sara Estep, associate director of the Women’s Initiative, emphasizes the impact of the erosion of abortion rights on women's ability to access timely and affordable care. Estep noted, "These long driving times are the result of the fall of Roe v. Wade, and now, women are saddled with long, costly trips just to access the care they need and deserve."
One of the key revelations from the analysis is the wide variation in driving times to access abortion care. While some women in New York or California districts are only a short five-minute drive away from a clinic, women in certain Texas districts face daunting one-way journeys of over 11 hours. Additionally, the study found that Republican-led congressional districts had travel times that were nearly 2.5 times longer than Democrat-led districts.
Moreover, the analysis highlighted the disproportionate burden faced by women of color, particularly Black and Hispanic women, in accessing abortion care. Women in districts with a high proportion of Black women experienced driving times nearly 30 minutes longer, while those in districts with higher shares of Hispanic women had to travel an additional hour compared to districts with lower proportions of Black and Hispanic women of reproductive age.
In some of the most concerning findings, it was revealed that in 49 out of 432 congressional districts in the contiguous United States, women may have to endure more than a four-hour one-way drive to obtain an abortion, resulting in the loss of a full working day. This places an undue financial strain on women who already earn lower incomes, exacerbating the challenges they face in accessing essential healthcare services.
The analysis and interactive map created by the Center for American Progress provide a comprehensive overview of the disparities in travel times for abortion care across congressional districts, underscoring the urgent need for policy action to address these inequities. For those interested in exploring the map and delving deeper into the findings, the full analysis by Sara Estep is available for reference.
For further inquiries or to request expert insights on the implications of these findings, please contact Sarah Nadeau at [email protected].
