THE ATTITUDES OF CLINIC STAFF AS FACTORS IN WOMENS SELECTION OF NORPLANT(R) IMPLANTS FOR THEIR CONTRACEPTION

Medical and counseling staff at 13 family planning clinics in Texas, U .S.A., were surveyed regarding their opinions and level of information about the contraceptive Norplant(R). These responses were used to ass ess the relationships between clinicians' information and attitudes ab out the contraceptive and the use of that method by their patients. No differences were associated with respondents' clinical responsibiliti es or with their type of professional training. However, significant v ariations in the numbers of patients receiving Norplant from individua l providers, and in the proportion receiving the method from certain c linics, were associated with responses to some attitudinal questions. These findings suggest that the opinions about Norplant held by person nel staffing family planning clinics influence the method selection of their patients.