Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37851463›Full record

ArticleHealth promotion international2023

Health literacy among fathers and fathers-to-be: a multi-country, cross-sectional survey.

Karen Wynter, Vanessa Watkins, Shane Kavanagh, Sarah Hosking, Bodil Rasmussen, Helle Terkildsen Maindal, Jacqui Macdonald

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health promotion international, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
4.4field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Parental socioeconomic and perceptual determinants of early childhood caries amongst Myanmar preschool children.European archives of paediatric dentistry : official journal of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Karen WynterDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Level 3, P Block, 246 Clayton Road, Clatyon, Victoria, 3168, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-4620-7691
Vanessa WatkinsSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-0600-8364
Shane KavanaghSchool of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-0961-7659
Sarah HoskingThe Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, School of Medicine, 199 Ryrie Street Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-9225-5101
Bodil RasmussenSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6789-8260
Helle Terkildsen MaindalDepartment of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Alle 2, 2. sal, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0003-0525-7254
Jacqui MacdonaldCentre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9451-2709
Deakin University · AUAarhus University · DKRoyal Children's Hospital · AUUniversity of Copenhagen · DK

Funding

Deakin UniversityInstitute for Health Transformation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

During pregnancy and early fatherhood, men are at higher risk of poor health, exacerbated by low engagement by healthcare services. Yet the transition to fatherhood presents an opportunity for men to improve their health and health behaviours. Health literacy refers to individuals' competence in accessing and applying health information. Poor health literacy is associated with poor health and low help-seeking. The aim of this study was to identify health literacy strengths, needs and profiles among fathers. Men who were expecting a baby ('antenatal') or had become fathers in the past 18 months ('postnatal') were recruited through an international, online paid survey platform. The survey included the nine-scale Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Of 889 survey respondents (n = 416, 46.5% antenatal; n = 473, 53.5% postnatal), 274 (31.0%) were residing in the USA and 239 (27.0%) in the UK. Relatively higher scores were reported for HLQ scales relating to having sufficient information and finding and understanding this information, as well as social support for health. Relatively lower scores were obtained for scales relating to actively managing one's own health and navigating the health care system. Three scale scores were significantly lower among nulliparous than multiparous men. Seven health literacy profiles were identified. In conclusion, while fathers have some health literacy strengths, they also experience some barriers, particularly first-time fathers. Awareness of diverse health literacy profiles among fathers may assist in developing strategies to strengthen health services' capacity to meet fathers' needs and reduce risks to their health at this critical juncture in families' lives.

Indexed as

Health LiteracyCross-Sectional StudiesFathersFemaleHealth ServicesHumansMalePregnancySocial SupportSurveys and Questionnaireshealth literacyhealth service settingsmenparent

Identifiers

PMID37851463
PMCPMC10583760
OpenAlexW4387729604

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.