The Supreme Court decision in Dobbs changed rules about abortion in 2022. The ruling affected women’s access to abortion and prenatal health care. It also changed public discussion about the role of courts and elected officials in health and gender policy.
A new book, Not Going Back (Temple University Press, 2026), examines these political consequences. The authors use a large set of survey data to study how the decision influenced voters and public attitudes. The book reports results from many surveys and describes shifts in opinion and behaviour since the ruling.
Difficult words
- ruling — A court's official decision or judgment in a case.
- access — Ability to reach or use a service or place.
- prenatal — Before birth; related to care during pregnancy.
- survey — A set of questions to measure people's opinions.surveys
- attitude — A person's opinion or feeling about something.attitudes
- consequence — A result or effect of an event or action.consequences
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Discussion questions
- Have you ever answered a survey about politics or health? What was it about?
- Do you think a court decision can change public discussion? Why or why not?
- How might a change in health rules affect people you know?
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