Welfare clients and the general public in Australia

On the basis of the National Health Survey in Australia 1989/90 (n = 54,241) the profiles of welfare workers' and psychologists' clients in need of health care are compared, and contrasted with the profile of the general public in Australia. The typical health care client of both professions can be described as female, less than 30 years of age, not currently married, born in Australia, without formal qualifications, unemployed and on some sort of a welfare benefit. The chances are that these clients in need of health services are suffering from some emotional problem. This description of these clients of the helping professions challenges the notion that professional help benefits the greedy rather than the needy.