FAMILY-PLANNING NEEDS OF MALE CHRONIC MENTAL-PATIENTS IN THE GENERAL-HOSPITAL PSYCHIATRY CLINIC

We investigated the parenting history, contraceptive behavior, and con traceptive needs of 35 male chronic mental patients seen at an urban o utpatient psychiatric clinic. Most patients had fathered children, but 60% of the children less than 16 years of age were not being reared b y their biological father. Forty-one percent of the patients who had s exual intercourse during the preceding year and had not wanted childre n reported that they or their sexual partner had not used contraceptio n at the time of last intercourse. Patients were reportedly at signifi cant risk of fathering unwanted children and sexually transmitted dise ases. Strategies for preventing unwanted pregnancies within this popul ation are discussed.