Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40615137›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Men matter: a cross-sectional exploration of the forgotten fathers of children born to adolescent mothers in South Africa.

Kathryn Steventon Roberts, Colette Smith, Lucie Dale Cluver, Elona Toska, Jane Kelly, Angelique Thomas, Janke Tolmay, Marguerite Marlow, Lorraine Sherr

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

9 authors.

Kathryn Steventon RobertsDepartment of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1200-5362
Colette SmithInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.
Lucie Dale CluverDepartment of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, UK.
Elona ToskaDepartment of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3800-3173
Jane KellyCentre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town Faculty of Humanities, Rondebosch, South Africa.
Angelique ThomasCentre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town Faculty of Humanities, Rondebosch, South Africa.
Janke TolmayDepartment of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, UK.
Marguerite MarlowInstitute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
Lorraine SherrInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK l.sherr@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5902-8011

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFathers are intricately bound to the experience of adolescent mothers and their children. Yet, fathers of children born to adolescent mothers, particularly within the context of HIV, remain neglected in the literature. These exploratory analyses provide insight into the characteristics of fathers of children born to adolescent mothers affected by HIV in South Africa.

settingEastern Cape Province, South Africa.

designCross-sectional data from a prospective cohort study.

participantsYoung mothers (10-24 years of age) and their children (0-68 months). All mothers completed detailed study questionnaires, including standardised and study-specific measures, relating to their self, their children and the fathers of their children. Summary statistics are presented based on maternal self-report of father characteristics. χ

results40% of fathers were adolescents (10-19 years) at the birth of their children. Overall, father involvement was low (19.5%). Compared with noninvolved fathers, involved fathers were more likely to be older when their child was born (21 years vs 20 years, t=4.30, p=0.04), to be in a relationship with the mothers of their children (74.8% vs 47.2%, χ

conclusionsAnalyses provide the first preliminary description of the fathers of children born to adolescent mothers affected by HIV in South Africa. Fathers are inherently tied to the experiences of adolescent mothers and their children. Father involvement with their children was low. Further research is required to explore the potential barriers to father involvement and pathways to overcome these. Efforts to bolster father engagement, such as the inclusion of fathers within maternal and child service provision, may have benefits for fathers, adolescent mothers and their children. There was a high prevalence of adolescent fatherhood in the study. Adolescent fathers may have specific needs requiring tailored intervention for adolescent parent families. The need for the inclusion of fathers within policy, programming and research remains.

Indexed as

Father-Child RelationsFathersHIV InfectionsMothersPregnancy in AdolescenceAdolescentAdultChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMalePregnancyCommunity child healthFamilyHIV & AIDSMENTAL HEALTHPregnancy

Identifiers

PMID40615137
PMCPMC12226945

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LicenceCC BY
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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.