Background: Father involvement is crucial to child health and development and promotes positive maternal outcomes. However, little is known about what benefits fathers’ involvement may have for men’s own health. For Black fathers who have the poorest health outcomes and simultaneously endure negative stereotyping of their fatherhood, we argue that involvement, through in-kind support, may improve Black men’s health.\n
Methods: To determine the relationship between Black fathers' involvement and their health behaviors and outcomes, data from the 2019 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) was used to identify Black men (n= 690) categorized as non-residential [NR] (8%) residential [R] (15.5%) and non-father [NF] (75.7%). Logistic regression models examined the relationship between Black fathers' involvement and physical and behavioral health outcomes.
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Results: Most Black fathers were 25-49 years old, with a high prevalence of hypertension (NR= 20%, R=12% and NF=11%) and substance use (alcohol, tobacco and marijuana). Although high risk drinking was more prevalent among NR fathers (Binge drinking: NR=56%, R=37%, NF=34%; p<.0001), there were no significant differences in the prevalence of HBP, marijuana and tobacco use by fatherhood status. Father involvement for NR in comparison to R fathers did not differ across 11 domains of involvement except in giving baths (p= 0.0004). Compared to R fathers, involvement was associated with lower odds for hypertension (aOR=0.78, p=0.03) and marijuana use (aOR=0.85, p=0.04) in NR fathers
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Conclusion: Black fathers’ health remains staggeringly poor. Father involvement through in-kind support could improve their health, which should be promoted and fostered through policies and programs.
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