TY - JOUR
T1 - African-American fathers' perspectives on their children's health education
T2 - A qualitative, exploratory study
AU - Odum, Mary
AU - Smith, Matthew Lee
AU - McKyer, E. Lisako J.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would especially like to thank the efforts and support of the Child and Adolescent Health Research Lab at Texas A&M University. This work was supported by the Center for Community Health Development, which is a member of the Prevention Research Centers Program (cooperative agreement number 5U48 DP000045) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The findings and conclusions in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the CDC.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Odum, Smith and McKyer.
PY - 2014/12/8
Y1 - 2014/12/8
N2 - Purpose: To investigate African-American fathers' (AAF) perceptions regarding the applicability and need for their involvement as a health connection for their children and describe how participating fathers' behavior was affected by their attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions of their influence on their children's health. Methods: This exploratory study gathered data via semi-structured focus groups (n D3) and thematically analyzed it utilizing a grounded theory approach. Participants included AAF (nD20) with a mean age of 37 years (SD 11.79), with at least one child between 6 and 18 years old. Results: Four major themeswere revealed: (1) appropriate health education for participants' children (should first and foremost be delivered by parents); (2) participants' paternal healthrelated guidance approach (reactive, rather than proactive); (3) participants' perceived influences on health-related communication with their children (gender roles, efficacy constraints); and (4) paternal definitions of health (most often associated with diet). Conclusion: Understanding AAFs' perceived and desired role in their children's health edification can inform initiatives that actively engage these men, and nurture their level of involvement, to promote positive health behaviors among their children; this is necessary to realize their potential to actively improve the health of their children, families, and communities.
AB - Purpose: To investigate African-American fathers' (AAF) perceptions regarding the applicability and need for their involvement as a health connection for their children and describe how participating fathers' behavior was affected by their attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions of their influence on their children's health. Methods: This exploratory study gathered data via semi-structured focus groups (n D3) and thematically analyzed it utilizing a grounded theory approach. Participants included AAF (nD20) with a mean age of 37 years (SD 11.79), with at least one child between 6 and 18 years old. Results: Four major themeswere revealed: (1) appropriate health education for participants' children (should first and foremost be delivered by parents); (2) participants' paternal healthrelated guidance approach (reactive, rather than proactive); (3) participants' perceived influences on health-related communication with their children (gender roles, efficacy constraints); and (4) paternal definitions of health (most often associated with diet). Conclusion: Understanding AAFs' perceived and desired role in their children's health edification can inform initiatives that actively engage these men, and nurture their level of involvement, to promote positive health behaviors among their children; this is necessary to realize their potential to actively improve the health of their children, families, and communities.
KW - African-American fathers
KW - Child health
KW - Health education
KW - Paternal perspectives
KW - Qualitative
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U2 - 10.3389/fpubh.2014.00276
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2014.00276
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85025426034
VL - 2
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
JF - Frontiers in Public Health
SN - 2296-2565
IS - DEC
M1 - 276
ER -