587 - Social Influences of Paternal Perinatal Health and Behaviors: findings from Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for Dads, Georgia, 2018-2019

Poster Number: 587
Publication Number: 587.241

Raj M. Dalal, Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; Clarissa D. Simon, Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL, United States; Anne Bendelow, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; J Michael Bryan, Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States; Craig Garfield, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Evanston, IL, United States

Background: With fathers comprising over 60% of the adult male population, the perinatal period provides an opportunity to improve paternal, maternal, child and family health. Unlike maternal healthcare use, few studies have examined paternal use of health care during this time.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of and predictors for poor health and healthcare utilization in the perinatal period among fathers using state-based representative data from Georgia’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System for Dads (PRAMS for Dads).

Design/Methods: Fathers were eligible to participate if they were listed as the second parent on the infant’s birth certificate and the infant’s mother was randomly sampled for the 2018-2019 Georgia PRAMS. From October 2018-June 2019, fathers in Georgia were surveyed 3-6 months postnatally on topics including mental and physical health, healthcare, and substance use. Chi-squared testing, weighted prevalence estimates, and multivariable logistic regression models examined associations between paternal sociodemographics, self-reported health and healthcare system interaction.

Results: In this weighted representative sample of 266 respondent fathers, 38% were ≥35 years old and 45% had less than a college education. Over half (53%) reported no primary care provider (PCP), including nearly 80% of Hispanic fathers (n=50); nearly half (45%) of fathers had no reported health care visits. Unmarried fathers were less likely to have a PCP (66%) compared to married fathers (46%); and while fathers without a GED or high school degree comprised the greatest proportion of self-reported poor health (46%), they were less likely to utilize healthcare services (61%) or visit a PCP (68%) compared with fathers with at least a high school degree. After controlling for race/ethnicity, marital status, and age, fathers with < high school education were less likely to have a PCP (adjusted PR [aPR]=0.3, p< 0.05) and report poorer health status (aPR=0.3, p< 0.05), compared to those with more education. Insured fathers were more likely to have a PCP (aPR=5.8, p< 0.05) and a recent health care visit (aPR=6.3, p< 0.05) compared with those who were uninsured.Conclusion(s): Considerable variability exists among new fathers and their healthcare utilization. The transition to fatherhood marks a key opportunity for clinicians to provide health behavioral interventions and to understand which fathers are at most risk for poor health and healthcare utilization.
Raj Dalal CVRaj CV.pdf