Medical Student Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago, Illinois, United States
Background: While father contributions are increasingly recognized as integral to improved child outcomes, identifying key intervention moments to support fathers from the “magical moment” of birth onward are needed, especially in key public health infant safety areas of safe sleep, car seat safety and crying behaviors. Objective: 1) To test the feasibility and acceptability of recruiting new fathers in the newborn nursery and 2) to examine knowledge and behaviors around safe sleep, infant crying, and car seat safety for first-time fathers following a video intervention delivered in the newborn nursery. Design/Methods: First time fathers (or non-birthing parents) of full-term infants were recruited in the newborn nursery and instructed to watch educational videos on safe sleep, car seat safety and infant crying. Validated survey measures were collected at enrollment, 1 week and 1-month post-discharge. Recruitment is ongoing. Analysis includes descriptive statistics, feasibility of hospital-based recruitment, and video intervention acceptability. Pre-post-video knowledge will be presented. Results: To date, 115 participants have enrolled, 112 (97%) completed the initial survey, 95 (83%) watched all 3 videos, 77 (73% of the 105 eligible participants) completed the one-week survey, and 49 (66% of the 74 eligible participants) completed the one-month survey. Average age was 35, 96% married, 84% white non-Hispanic origin, 94% college education. Pre-safe sleep video watching, most fathers (99%) knew that babies should sleep on their back and 96% knew that babies should sleep alone; however, only 74% knew that babies should not sleep in car seats, and 80% that babies should not sleep in a swing/rocker. Knowledge improved post-video watching (92% reported of babies should not sleep in infant car seats, 97% that babies should not sleep in a swing/rocker). Similarly, prior to watching the crying video, only 53% reported there is not always a reason for infant crying and 76% reported infants cry most late afternoon/evening; post-intervention improved to 83% and 97% respectively. Car seat safety knowledge was already high with nearly all fathers endorsing infants should ride rear-facing and never be left alone in a car.
Conclusion(s): Targeted interventions for fathers in the newborn nursery are feasible and acceptable. Easily accessible, evidence-based videos geared toward fathers can increase awareness around key infant safety issues and may ultimately reduce infant harm.
