People from ethnic minorities account for a small proportion of the UK population. They are, however, concentrated in a few localities where they provide a disproportionate workload in the field of reproductive medicine. The 1981 census data showed that 3.2% of the heads of households of England and Wales were born in new Commonwealth countries or Pakistan. However, in North East Thames
Regional Health Authority this goes up to 7.6%, and in Tower Hamlets District Health District Health Authority, to 13.2%. In 1991, 23% of the Tower Hamlets borough population were Bangladeshi, while 42% of the births were to Bangladeshi women (Census data, 1991).
The ethnic mix of patients in any doctor’s area is likely to be heterogeneous at any one time, and the balance may change rapidly. Looking at the most recent entrants to Tower Hamlets District Health Authority about whom figures are available, that is, for the 11 months from 1 September 1990 to 1 August 1991, the breakdown was as follows:
Total numbers: 960 Sex: 57% female
Age: 67% aged between 5 and 29 years
Type: 65% were immigrants, 21% refugees, 11% longstay visitors Country of origin: 61% Bangladesh, 22% Somalia, the rest from other SE Asian countries, other African countries, Vietnam, China.
Family dynamics: 63% were part of a family group, 9% of these families had seven or more members
These figures for just one year in one borough demonstrate that the majority of entrants are in their fertile years or are the children of women who are still fertile.
*217/197/1*
