Comprehensive family planning services to an urban black community. A three year experience

The patient and service experience of the first 3 fiscal years of the Howard University Center for Family Planning Services is reported. Approximately 91% of the patients are black, 55% are living at or below federal poverty status, and the median patient age is 22.65 yr. Approximately 62% of the patients are single and approximately 56% have used a family planning method prior to their initial clinic visit. Increasing percentages of single patients and those with prior method experience are entering the program each year. The oral contraceptive is the most popular method selected on the initial visit and switched to on subsequent visits. The oral and IUD have approximately equal failure rates (2.89-3.02). Approximately 82 out of every 100 oral users are still not delinquent in their appointments one year after their initial visit as compared with 62 for IUD and diaphragm users.