THE REPRESENTATION OF ETHNIC-MINORITIES AT GENETIC CLINICS IN BIRMINGHAM

A study of the ethnic distribution of families attending genetic clini cs in Birmingham has shown a deficit of Afro-Caribbean and Pakistani f amilies. The former may be because of a deficiency of autosomal recess ive diseases other than sickle cell disease, but the numbers are too s mall to be certain of this. The deficit of Pakistani families is proba bly for a variety of causes, such as a poorer attendance rate at clini cs unless there is some encouragement, and a lack of awareness of, or interest in, genetic issues.