Paavilainen Miia, Bloigu Aini, Hemminki Elina, Gissler Mika, Klemetti Reija
National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Finland.
National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Finland Nordic School of Public Health (NHV), Sweden.
Scand J Public Health. 2016 Jun;44(4):423-30. doi: 10.1177/1403494815620958. Epub 2015 Dec 11.
The increase in maternal age has been well documented in Western societies, but information on paternal age trends is scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in age and other background characteristics of first-time fathers in Finland in the period 1987-2009.
A random 60% sample of first-time fathers in each year from 1987 to 2009 was obtained from Statistics Finland (n=344,529). Five-year intervals were used (three years in 1987-1989). Sociodemographic characteristics of older first-time fathers (⩾40 years) were compared over time using logistic regression. In the logistic regression, immigrants were excluded from the study population as they may have had children before migrating to Finland.
The mean age of first-time fathers increased from 28.7 to 30.4 years in 1987-2009. The change was greatest in the Capital Region and smallest in Northern and Eastern Finland. Fatherhood at the age of ⩾40 years doubled from 3.1% to 6.8%. From 2005 to 2009, men who lived in rural areas and the Capital Region, had a long education, were divorced or widowed, had been born in a rural area and were native Finnish speakers, were more likely than other men to be old when they became fathers. CONCLUSIONS DURING THE STUDY PERIOD, THE AVERAGE AGE OF FIRST-TIME FATHERS INCREASED BY TWO YEARS FURTHER STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO EXAMINE WHETHER DELAYS IN FIRST-TIME FATHERHOOD AFFECT FERTILITY, CHILD HEALTH AND THE USE OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES.
在西方社会，母亲年龄增加的情况已有充分记录，但关于父亲年龄趋势的信息却很少。本研究的目的是调查1987年至2009年期间芬兰初为人父者的年龄及其他背景特征的变化。
从芬兰统计局获取1987年至2009年每年60%的初为人父者随机样本（n = 344,529）。采用五年间隔（1987 - 1989年为三年）。使用逻辑回归对年龄较大的初为人父者（⩾40岁）的社会人口学特征随时间进行比较。在逻辑回归中，移民被排除在研究人群之外，因为他们可能在移民到芬兰之前就已育有子女。
1987年至2009年，初为人父者的平均年龄从28.7岁增至30.4岁。首都地区的变化最大，芬兰北部和东部最小。40岁及以上初为人父的比例从3.1%翻倍至6.8%。2005年至2009年期间，居住在农村地区和首都地区、受教育程度高、离婚或丧偶、出生在农村地区且母语为芬兰语的男性，比其他男性在成为父亲时年龄更大的可能性更高。结论：在研究期间，初为人父者的平均年龄增加了两岁。需要进一步研究以检查初为人父年龄的延迟是否会影响生育能力、儿童健康以及社会和医疗服务的使用情况。
