Family-planning clinics and educational programmes--a rural experience

Although family-planning clinics are numerous and well-accepted in most Australian capital cities, such clinics have been difficult to establish in some Victorian rural towns. One such clinic was established at a rural base hospital in a Victorian town in 1984. The history of the clinic's development and its mode of operation are discussed. The profiles of 157 consecutive new patients who attended the clinic are presented. Comparisons are made with the patient profiles from a Melbourne family-planning clinic. The clinic also provides a separate weekly educational programme. The effect of the educational service in attracting patients to the clinic also was evaluated. Over all, it was concluded that the successful establishment of this clinic has been a result of the appointment of female medical and nursing staff members, the support of the local base hospital, an active media campaign and the development of a separate and concurrent educational programme that was conducted by clinic staff members. It is recommended that these factors be considered in the future development of such clinics in rural areas.