Oral

Adolescent mothers have been well-studied in the research literature. Numerous intervention models have been tested that seek to address the increased risk factors for adverse health and life outcomes and to serve the varied needs of the girls and their babies. However, substantially less is known about young fathers and the interventions needed to best support them as they transition to parenthood. This transition often takes places within the context of complex relationships both with the mother of their child and her family. It can be further complicated by a substantial age difference between the father and teen mother, the father’s lack of parenting skills or having a father present in his own life, and the father’s limited educational attainment or job prospects which affect his ability to provide support for mother and child. Practices for effectively engaging these fathers in their own health, the health of their pregnant partners, and in the active parenting and care of their children warrant further exploration. To this end, grantee organizations funded by the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are actively working within their local communities to research the unique characteristics of the relationships between young fathers, mothers, and their children and to develop practices that show promise for supporting successful adolescent-headed families.

Session Objectives: 1. Describe the current state of knowledge of fatherhood among adolescent and young adult males. 2. Describe 4 public health interventions that seek to strengthen father engagement and co-parenting. 3. Discuss the importance of conducting needs assessments of this population.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)