Abortion
It is clear that in instances like these the necessity of especially careful counselling of men, in the positive terms of Earle Hackett's article, is what is required.
Abstract
I. Hackett E. What women willgel. Med J Awt 1984: 140:660·662. ~' Fraser IS. Sequelae of therapeutic abortion. Med J Aust 1984; 140:639640. What women wiD get To the Editor: I read with pleasure Earle Hackett's Body talk address, "What women . willget", inthe May 26 issueof the Journal. 1 In' the same issue you published a letter (ram a woman who had sufferedsevere postabortion depression. She stated that she had been ambivalent to the unplanned pregnancy.vbut "My husband, however, was very hostile to the idea. I had severe hyperemesis, and because I wasso ill I could not cope with my husband's anger towards my children and myself. At the time, to agree to his demands for an abortion seemed the only solution to the problem". In yet another part of the same issue, ProfessorIan Fraser, in an editorial comment,states: "Your correspondent's letter emphasizes the necessity of especially careful counselling of women with . a combination of high-risk factors".' Itis clear to me that in instances like these the necessityof especially careful counselling of men, in the positive terms of Earle Hackett's article, is what is required. M. B. Hoyle. MB BS Strickland Crescent Deakin. ACT 2600 5. 45% of males and 23% of females obare likely to be part of the life pattern of tained definite alcoholic scores; 15% of .' many of these individuals. males and 27% of females had scores. . Robert White . Former Prison Medical Officer suggesting possible alcoholism. . Risdon Prison and Clarence Community Health Centre 6. 58% had at least one drink-driving COnKim Boyer viction; of these, 57% were definite Research Officer I h I· di Law Department a co 0 ICS accor mg to the screening Hoban. Tasmania test. 1. Pokorney AD. Miller BA. Kaplan HB. The Brief 7. Of the 35% who had three or more . M.A.S.T.Am J Psychiatry 1972; 129: 342345 drink-driving convictions, the proportion of indicatedalcoholics rose t068%. 8. Male prisoners were far more likely to have drink-driving convictions; in fact, only one of the 22 female prisoners had such convictions. 9. 23% believed they had alcohol-related health problems; of these, 91% were definite alcoholics by test scores.. 10. 12% felt they had lost a job as a consequence of their drinking habits; 96% of these were definite alcoholics. II. 56% of men and 23% of women admitted to fighting while under the influence of alcohol. 12. Of those who were married, in de-facto relationships, separated, divorced or widowed, 23% of males and 13% of females admitted to having been the perpetrators of domestic violence' while under the influence of alcohol. 13. Of the 27 individuals gaoled more than once, 78% were definite alcoholics, compared to the overall figure of 44%..