Dataset Information

Antenatal Dads and First Year Families program: a qualitative study of fathers' and program facilitators' experiences of a community-based program in Australia.

ABSTRACT: AIM:Currently, there is limited knowledge on the impact of father-only sessions or parenting programs supporting impending fatherhood. This research explored an antenatal dads program aimed at fathers to assess the benefits of such interventions. BACKGROUND:Literature regarding parenting programs and early childhood education initiatives, especially those aimed at children and families in disadvantaged circumstance, have been demonstrated to act as a buffer to poorer health and lifestyle outcomes in later life. METHODS:A qualitative research approach was used to explore the experiences of 16 fathers and 6 staff of a community-based parenting program with sessions focusing on fatherhood. FINDINGS:Four main themes were identified from the data regarding the experiences of groups engaged with the Antenatal Dads and First Year Families program. The first theme 'Knowledge and Capacity Building' stated that the information provided in the program helped fathers to be better informed and prepared for their impending fatherhood. The second theme was 'Mental Health Awareness' and identified the importance of raising awareness of depression and suicide in fathers, including where and how to get help. The third theme was 'Soft-Entry' and highlighted how the attendance at one service helped participants to learn about additional services through word of mouth and targeted promotion. The final theme was 'Feeling Connected', which helped fathers to feel more connected with the process of childbirth and development including playing and engaging with their children. Overall, the fathers found that the male-only sessions assisted them by supporting frank discussions on fatherhood. Additionally, the study helped identify the advantages of fathers meeting other fathers through attendance in the program, or even other couples in similar situations that helped fathers to feel less lonely regarding their situation.

SUBMITTER: Parry YK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7003524 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Antenatal Dads and First Year Families program: a qualitative study of fathers' and program facilitators' experiences of a community-based program in Australia.

Parry Yvonne Karen YK Ankers Matthew David MD Abbott Shelly S Willis Lyall L Thorpe Lynne L O'Brien Teresa T Richards Curtis C

Primary health care research & development 20191210

<h4>Aim</h4>Currently, there is limited knowledge on the impact of father-only sessions or parenting programs supporting impending fatherhood. This research explored an antenatal dads program aimed at fathers to assess the benefits of such interventions.<h4>Background</h4>Literature regarding parenting programs and early childhood education initiatives, especially those aimed at children and families in disadvantaged circumstance, have been demonstrated to act as a buffer to poorer health and li ...[more]

PMID: 31818342

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundThe importance of engaging men in maternal and child health programs is well recognised internationally. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), men's involvement in maternal and child health services remains limited and barriers and enablers to involving fathers in antenatal care have not been well studied. The purpose of this paper is to explore attitudes to expectant fathers participating in antenatal care, and to identify barriers and enablers to men's participation in antenatal care with their pregnant partner in PNG.MethodsTwenty-eight focus group discussions were conducted with purposively selected pregnant women, expectant fathers, older men and older women across four provinces of PNG. Fourteen key informant interviews were also conducted with health workers. Qualitative data generated were analysed thematically.ResultsWhile some men accompany their pregnant partners to the antenatal clinic and wait outside, very few men participate in antenatal consultations. Factors supporting fathers' participation in antenatal consultations included feelings of shared responsibility for the unborn child, concern for the mother's or baby's health, the child being a first child, friendly health workers, and male health workers. Sociocultural norms and taboos were the most significant barrier to fathers' participation in antenatal care, contributing to men feeling ashamed or embarrassed to attend clinic with their partner. Other barriers to men's participation included fear of HIV or sexually transmitted infection testing, lack of separate waiting spaces for men, rude treatment by health workers, and being in a polygamous relationship. Building community awareness of the benefits of fathers participating in maternal and child health service, inviting fathers to attend antenatal care if their pregnant partner would like them to, and ensuring clinic spaces and staff are welcoming to men were strategies suggested for increasing fathers' participation in antenatal care.ConclusionThis study identified significant sociocultural and health service barriers to expectant fathers' participation in antenatal care in PNG. Our findings highlight the need to address these barriers - through health staff training and support, changes to health facility layout and community awareness raising - so that couples in PNG can access the benefits of men's participation in antenatal care.

Project description:ObjectiveTo assess (1) the feasibility of delivering a culturally adapted weight management programme, Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids United Kingdom (HDHK-UK), for fathers with overweight or obesity and their primary school-aged children, and (2) the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT).DesignA two-arm, randomised feasibility trial with a mixed-methods process evaluation.SettingSocioeconomically disadvantaged, ethnically diverse localities in West Midlands, UK.ParticipantsFathers with overweight or obesity and their children aged 4-11?years.InterventionParticipants were randomised in a 1:2 ratio to control (family voucher for a leisure centre) or intervention comprising 9?weekly healthy lifestyle group sessions.OutcomesFeasibility of the intervention and RCT was assessed according to prespecified progression criteria: study recruitment, consent and follow-up, ability to deliver intervention, intervention fidelity, adherence and acceptability, weight loss, using questionnaires and measurements at baseline, 3 and 6?months, and through qualitative interviews.ResultsThe study recruited 43 men, 48% of the target sample size; the mean body mass index was 30.2?kg/m2 (SD 5.1); 61% were from a minority ethnic group; and 54% were from communities in the most disadvantaged quintile for socioeconomic deprivation. Recruitment was challenging. Retention at follow-up of 3 and 6?months was 63%. Identifying delivery sites and appropriately skilled and trained programme facilitators proved difficult. Four programmes were delivered in leisure centres and community venues. Of the 29 intervention participants, 20 (69%) attended the intervention at least once, of whom 75% attended ?5 sessions. Sessions were delivered with high fidelity. Participants rated sessions as 'good/very good' and reported lifestyle behavioural change. Weight loss at 6 months in the intervention group (n=17) was 2.9?kg (95%?CI -5.1 to -0.6).ConclusionsThe intervention was well received, but there were significant challenges in recruitment, programme delivery and follow-up. The HDHK-UK study was not considered feasible for progression to a full RCT based on prespecified stop-go criteria.Trial registration numberISRCTN16724454.

Project description:Exploring the experiences and views of men who had attended the birth of their children is very vital, especially in a setting where traditionally only women accord women support during labour and childbirth. The insights drawn from the male partners' views and experiences could enhance the current woman-centred midwifery model that encompasses the needs of the baby, the woman's family and other people important to the woman, as defined and negotiated by the woman herself. This paper explored the views and experiences of men who attended the birth of their children from two private hospitals in an urban setting in southern Malawi.This study used an exploratory descriptive qualitative approach. The data were collected through in-depth interviews from 20 men from Blantyre, a city in the southern part of Malawi, who consented to participate in the study. These men attended the birth of their children at Blantyre Adventist and Mlambe Mission Hospitals within the past two years prior to data collection in August 2010. A semi-structure interview guide was used to collect data. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data set.Four themes were identified to explain the experiences and views of men about attending childbirth. The themes were motivation; positive experiences; negative experiences; reflection and resolutions. The negative experiences had four sub-themes namely shame and embarrassment, helplessness and unprepared, health care provider--male partner tension, and exclusion from decision-making process.The findings showed that with proper motivational information, enabling environment, positive midwives' attitude and spouse willingness, it is possible to involve male partners during childbirth in Malawi. Midwives, women and male peers are vital in the promotion of male involvement during childbirth. In addition, midwives have a duty to ensure that men are well prepared for the labour and childbirth processes for the experience to be a positive one.

Project description:BackgroundTargeting fathers may be a key strategy to increase physical activity among their preschool-aged children, but limited research exists in this area. The primary study aim was to examine the impact of a lifestyle program for fathers and their preschool-aged children on child physical activity levels.MethodsA total of 125 fathers (aged: 38 ± 5.4 years, BMI: 28.1 ± 4.9 kg/m2) and 125 preschool-aged children (aged: 3.9 ± 0.8 years, BMI z-score: 0.3 ± 0.9, 39.2% girls) recruited from Newcastle, Australia, NSW were randomised to (i) the Healthy Youngsters, Healthy Dads (HYHD) program, or (ii) wait-list control group. The program included two fathers-only workshops (2 h each) and eight father-child weekly educational and practical sessions (75 min each), plus home-based activities targeting family physical activity and nutrition. Assessments took place at baseline, 10-weeks (post-intervention) and 9-months follow-up. The primary outcome was the children's mean steps/day at 10-weeks. Secondary outcomes included: co-physical activity, fathers' physical activity levels and parenting practices for physical activity and screen time behaviours, children's fundamental movement skill (FMS) proficiency, plus accelerometer based light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), screen time and adiposity for fathers and children. Process measures included; attendance, satisfaction, fidelity and retention. Linear mixed models estimated the treatment effect at all time-points for all outcomes.ResultsIntention-to-treat analyses revealed a significant group-by-time effect for steps per day at 10-weeks (+ 1417, 95%CI: 449, 2384) and 9-months follow-up (+ 1480, 95%CI: 493, 2467) in intervention children compared to control. There were also favourable group-by-time effects for numerous secondary outcomes including fathers' physical activity levels, children's FMS proficiency, and several parenting constructs. No effects were observed for both fathers' and children's accelerometer based LPA or MVPA, co-physical activity, screen-time and adiposity measures. Process evaluation data revealed very high levels of satisfaction, attendance, retention, and intervention fidelity.ConclusionEngaging fathers in a lifestyle program is a promising strategy to increase physical activity among preschool-aged children. Additional benefits to fathers' physical activity levels, children's FMS proficiency and parenting practices further support the importance of engaging fathers to improve family health outcomes.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12619000105145 . Registered 24/01/2019.

Dataset Information

Antenatal Dads and First Year Families program: a qualitative study of fathers' and program facilitators' experiences of a community-based program in Australia.

Publications

Antenatal Dads and First Year Families program: a qualitative study of fathers' and program facilitators' experiences of a community-based program in Australia.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets