Father's Playbook: From Health Communication Research to Prenatal Health Intervention

Research has demonstrated benefits of paternal involvement during the prenatal stage: increased prenatal visits, better adherence to postpartum best practices, and improved communication between partners. In the United States, where maternal morbidity remains higher than other advanced economies, the need for varied interventions aimed at improving the wellbeing of the entire family unit should remain a top priority. In an arena that is understandably dominated by interventions aimed at expectant mothers, scholars also advocate for including men in prenatal health care to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. In practice, however, they are often excluded. Evidence suggests paternal prenatal health interventions can result in better outcomes for the entire family, and researchers developed Father's Playbook - a free bilingual evidence-based app for expectant fathers - in support of that goal. This article examines the creation of and lessons learned from this health communication intervention which represents a case study of implementation science in the field of health communication. This article documents how the project moved from early formative research to app development and now ongoing promotion of a state-funded health communication and public health intervention utilizing a variety of research approaches. Researchers believe this intervention can serve as a blueprint for other public health and health communication practitioners.