Family planning in Melbourne: a medical-social project
Leeton, J.; Paterson, J.
Medical Journal of Australia 1(10): 538-540
1969
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-729X PMID: 5777913 DOI: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1969.tb92268.xDocument Number: 414484
The 1st 12 months of operation of a family planning clinic, established by the Brotherhood of St. Laurence in a low income district of Melbourne, Australia, was assessed. The Brotherhood decided to establish the clinic despite the attitude on the part of the medical and social work personnel that the demand for family planning services among low income groups was insignificant. The Brotherhood believed that it was not possible to assess the demand since the services had never been made widely available to the city's poor. During the initial 12 months of operation, 185 patients utilized the services of the clinic and they made a total of 208 return visits. The majority of the patients were referred to the clinic by public hospitals or by the Brotherhood. 72% of the patients had incomes below $50 a week, which is the standard used to denote limited means in Australia. 79 of the 185 patients had only 2 or 3 children. Many of the patients came to the clinic from outside the district. 126 of the patients chose oral contraceptives, 46 chose IUDs, 6 chose the diaphragm, and 2 chose the ovulation method. Patients paid according to their income, and no one was turned away because of inability to pay. Husbands and wives were urged to attend, and the clinic was open in the evening to accommodate clients who worked during the day. The Brotherhood is a welfare organization and normally does not provide family planning services. It is too early to determine whether the services will be used sufficiently to justify the government or some other organization setting up a permanent clinic in the district. At the present time the Brotherhood is planning to continue operating the clinic and is also planning to conduct an attitudal survey among the residents of the district.