The relevance of ethnic monitoring in the experience of Haringey Healthcare NHS trust community family planning clinics.

ABSTRACT

PIP: Ethnic monitoring was conducted of all new and first-time attenders in the financial year to Haringey Family Planning Clinics through an anonymous questionnaire during April-June 1997 to determine whether ethnic minority women attend family planning clinics. 2664 questionnaires were returned, for a response rate of 73%. The women came from a wide range of ethnic groups from the UK and Europe, Ireland, Caribbean, Africa, Greece, Turkey, India, southeastern Asia, and elsewhere. Women of UK European origin were under-represented. English was not the first language for 28% of the women, who reported 66 different first languages. 62% of the women were aged 20-34 years, and more than half of all women attending the clinics had no children. 33% of women admitted to having had at least one induced abortion, with the highest level of abortions being among women from West Africa (49%), and the lowest level being among Irish women (12%). Data on number of children, abortion, and choice of contraceptive method are reported with regard to ethnicity. The majority of women chose a method or methods of contraception, with the oral contraceptive pill and the condom being the most popular methods, and often used together. Contraceptive method used was influenced by age and ethnicity, with younger women choosing the pill and older women choosing IUDs. 12% of women were recorded as not using a contraceptive method. It is proposed that ethnic data be routinely recorded from April 1998 for first-time attenders, with efforts made to work more closely with various ethnic minority groups in the community.