Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The purpose of this study was to describe the birth control services in England and Wales (birth control services were interpreted broadly to include sterilization and therapeutic abortion as well as conventional methods) and also to study variations in services between areas. The Birth Control Services study consisted of 5 surveys: SN:402 <i>General Practitioners</i> recorded information about advice given by general practitioners and the views of general practitioners about their role in relation to conventional birth control as well as in relation to therapeutic abortion and sterilisation. Close attention was given to the pill, its possible health hazards, prolonged use, and side effects. SN:909 <i>Health Visitors and Midwives</i> collected data about advice given by health visitors and midwives and their views about their respective roles. The aim was to discover what aspects of birth control (including sterilisation and therapeutic abortion) they feel confident and justified in discussing with the mothers they visit and to what extent they do this. SN:910 <i>Consultant General Surgeons and Urologists</i> collected information about the views and practice of consultant general surgeons and urologists in relation to sterilisation and in the field of birth control generally. SN:911 <i>Consultant Psychiatrists</i> collected information about the role of consultant psychiatrists in advising about terminations of pregnancy. SN:912 <i>Consultants in Obstetrics and Gynaecology</i> collected information about the views and practice of consultant obstetricians and gynaecologists in relation to sterilisation, terminations of pregnancy and in the fields of birth control generally.
Main Topics:
Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions Type of maternity patient with whom contraception should be discussed, which of the maternity staff most often discuss contraception with patients, opinion on most appropriate person to do so, stage of pregnancy at which discussion is most appropriate, whether consultant personally takes part in discussions. Proportion of patients referred and to whom, proportion treated privately and through NHS. Method of birth control most frequently recommended, opinion on contraindications to prescribing the pill, recommended length of time, estimation of risk involved, opinion on relevance of over-population, whether man or woman more appropriate user of contraception. Desired changes in birth control services, opinion on who should have free access to birth control. Whether advantageous to base contraceptive clinics at hospitals with maternity patients and reasons, situations in which consultant would introduce idea of sterilisation, whether sterilisation discussed routinely and when, number of female sterilisations performed in 1970, whether male or female sterilisation preferable and reasons. Whether female sterilisation discussed with husband, whether male sterilisation services adequate. Terminations: attitude to, situations in which consultant would perform, whether sterilisation should ever be a required condition for granting a termination, availability of medical social worker and how often used, whether patients are seen by psychiatrist, what arrangements made to give contraceptive advice to unmarried women, whether consultant encounters resistance from nursing staff, number of terminations performed in 1970, proportion turned down, proportion delegated to other staff for making decision/performing operation, whether special units should be established under NHS, whether termination could be an outpatient procedure. Opinion on training of junior doctors in contraceptive techniques and whether continued in present post. Background Variables Marital status, number of children, religion.
Drawn by the Sampling Branch of the Government Social Survey. 52 registration districts were listed
Face-to-face interview
