Do Americans support international health assistance?
A study conducted in 2000 by the RAND Corporation showed 8 in 10 Americans favor U.S. aid for voluntary family planning programs in the developing world. In addition, 92 percent agree that couples should have the right to decide the number, spacing, and timing of their children and should have access to the information and means to do so. Their reasons are diverse -improving the health of women and children, enhancing women’s status, helping to alleviate world poverty, stabilizing population, protecting the global environment, promoting economic development overseas, or pursuing the economic self interest of the United States. Another survey by the Gallup Organization, taken in 2002, also shows that 73 percent of Americans believe the health of the world should be a concern to the U.S. because health is a global issue; 67 percent believe the US should be involved in global health policy to protect Americans’ health; and 64 percent believe we must be involved to protect America’s vital
