The Finnish Family Competence Study: young fathers' views on health education

The views of fathers of young families on health education were obtained using questionnaires issued through Maternity Health Care Clinics and Well-Baby Clinics. The present study is part of the Finnish Family Competence Study. The first phase of the study included 1,414 fathers whose wives were expecting their first baby. Of them, 1,279 returned a questionnaire. In the second phase, at week 28 of the wife's pregnancy, 1,123 fathers returned a questionnaire. A third questionnaire issued when the baby was born was completed by 1,134 fathers. A further questionnaire issued three months after the baby's birth was completed by 1,089 fathers. When the child was three years old, 753 fathers returned a questionnaire. Basic educational level, age and occupation were used as demographic variables. Backgrounds of respondents were studied using questions on the socioeconomic status of the fathers, as well as that of their wives and parents, and the locations of respondents' childhood and present homes. Subjects were asked comment on health education intended for their children. The socioeconomic status and age of the father affected preferences for the content and form of the child's health education. In memorizing their childhood experience of dental visits, most fathers stated that they had been frightened. Attention was not paid in the study to the extent to which the fathers had transferred this fear to their children.