Health risk behavior of rural low-income expectant fathers

To assess expectant fathers' health risk behaviors and attitudes about pregnancy-related health issues. Pregnancy may be viewed as a teachable moment: a time when women are receptive to health advice and take action to improve their health and the health of their babies. Pregnancy may also be a teachable moment for expectant fathers, although men's behaviors are rarely considered as part of prenatal care or in associated research.

Cross-sectional prevalence study.

Rural low-income expectant fathers (N=138) whose pregnant partners had enrolled in a Medicaid managed care health plan.

A telephone survey measuring five health risk behaviors, sociodemographic variables, and pregnancy- and behavior change-related attitudes.

Analyses found the following: 49.3% smoked cigarettes; 30.4% engaged in hazardous drinking in the past month; 27.5% had very low physical activity levels; 94.9% had at-risk fruit/vegetable intake; and 42% had weight-related health risk (25.4% met body mass index [BMI] criteria for obesity). Further, 47.9% of the men engaged in three or more of five assessed health risk behaviors.

This sample of expectant fathers engages in high rates of health risk behaviors. Failure to address the health risk behavior of men during prenatal care represents a missed opportunity to improve paternal, maternal, and family health.