The effect of having an abortion

The JAMANetwork just published a study that looks at the mental health of women five years after either having or being denied an abortion. The study found that… …compared with having an abortion, being denied an abortion may be associated with greater risk of initially experiencing adverse psychological outcomes. Psychological well-being improved over time so …

Is American religion really worth $1.16 trillion?

A new study published in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion says that’s the case, but this Relevant article says no. From the Relevant article: Their $1.16 trillion estimate is a staggering amount of money—something like 7% of the United States’ GDP. It’s also, on reflection, a somewhat silly figure. How do you possibly estimate …

No, they’re not taking our jobs

A new study from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine says that immigrants are not taking our jobs. The report also addresses whether immigrants burden government budgets, but that’s another story. (By the way? That links takes you to a page where you can download it for free, as I did. I thought I …

Discrimination doesn’t pay

Firms that discriminate in their hiring are more likely to go out of business within six years than are their fair-minded competitors, a new study says.

Americans disapprove of Muslims, atheists, and people who don’t proclaim a religion

But not necessarily in that order. A study out of University of Minnesota looked at how Americans viewed various groups, and found that: Americans’ disapproval of Muslims has jumped to 45.5 percent from just over 26 percent 10 years ago, the last time the question was asked. In all, the survey revealed some fairly hateful, unloving …

I’m all for a giggle, but a study that identifies “real vampires?”

I believe I am on record as being pro-science, immensely liberal, and hungry for some good data, but this study examines people who really and truly believe they are vampires, and how we should accept them. We should not worry unduly about this. The researchers say people who believe they are vampires (as opposed to …

Are gun owners nuts?

No. A thousand times no. But this study (and unless you want to shell out a few dollars, you can only see the abstract) says that nearly 9 percent of Americans have guns — and anger issues. Researchers from Harvard and Duke universities found that: … the 310 million firearms estimated to be in private …

After a baby’s birth, mothers still tend to carry the (housework) weight

A new Ohio State University study says that after a baby comes home, both parents know their workload is increased, but the father’s workload increased by just 40 minutes a day, while the mother’s workload increased by an average of two hours. You can read more here, on CT Health Investigative Team.

The bottom’s a looong way to the top

Read this piece, originally run last October at Brookings, on a historic study of Baltimore and its opportunities. From author Karl Alexander: White men without college degrees are better-off because they have access to relatively lucrative blue-collar jobs through social ties within their families and their largely segregated neighborhoods. Eighty-nine percent of white high school …

Freddie Gray died because he looked at someone wrong

Eric Garner died for selling loosies. Walter Scott died because he ran. Michael Brown died…well, we’re not sure why. So when people decry the violence in Baltimore that follows the severed spine of Gray, I could not agree more. No one should use violence against someone — not police officers, not African American men. No …