Jayamanna Kanchana, Abeysena Chrishantha
Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka.
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama, Sri Lanka.
Reprod Health. 2025 Apr 1;22(1):45. doi: 10.1186/s12978-025-01999-y.
Postpartum depression is easily managed when detected early. Since mothers' and newborns' health is influenced by fathers, good knowledge and positive attitudes toward postpartum depression among fathers would help in early detection and early intervention.
To describe the knowledge and attitudes of expectant fathers about postpartum depression and factors associated with their knowledge and attitudes about postpartum depression in a rural community in Sri Lanka.
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 440 expectant fathers selected using cluster sampling. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used with 30 knowledge statements with a maximum score of 30 points and 15 Likert scale attitude statements with a maximum score of 60 points. Good knowledge was defined as ≥ 50% of the total knowledge score. Positive attitudes were defined as ≥ 50% of the total attitude score. The chi-square test was applied to identify the significance of the associations between sociodemographic factors and knowledge and attitude levels. Multiple logistic regression was performed, and the results were expressed as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
The response rate was 93.6%. Most of the expectant fathers (58.2%, n = 256) had never heard about postpartum depression. The median knowledge score was 10 (IQR 4-16), and 33.6% (n = 148) of participants had good knowledge. Good knowledge was significantly associated with a higher educational level (p < 0.001), having a close relative/friend with postpartum depression (p < 0.001), and having heard about postpartum depression before (p < 0.001). Logistic regression revealed significant associations only with higher educational level (aOR = 2.53; 95% CI = 1.54-4.15) and having heard about postpartum depression before (aOR = 5.46; 95% CI = 3.47-8.59). The median attitude score was 36 (IQR 31-40.75), and 83.4% (n = 367) had positive attitudes. Although the bivariate analysis showed that working in the private sector (p = 0.04) and expecting their first child (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with positive attitudes, logistic regression did not reveal any significant association.
The majority of fathers had positive attitudes toward postpartum depression, but their knowledge was limited. Since their attitudes are favorable, the knowledge gap should be minimized by imparting knowledge to facilitate the early detection of postpartum depression among mothers in the area.
产后抑郁症若能早期发现则易于控制。由于母亲和新生儿的健康会受到父亲的影响，父亲对产后抑郁症有充分的了解并持有积极态度将有助于早期发现和早期干预。
描述斯里兰卡一个农村社区中准父亲对产后抑郁症的了解和态度，以及与他们对产后抑郁症的了解和态度相关的因素。
采用整群抽样法选取440名准父亲进行描述性横断面研究。使用一份经过预测试的自填式问卷，其中包括30条知识陈述，最高分为30分，以及15条李克特量表态度陈述，最高分为60分。良好的知识水平定义为总知识得分的≥50%。积极态度定义为总态度得分的≥50%。应用卡方检验来确定社会人口学因素与知识和态度水平之间关联的显著性。进行多因素逻辑回归分析，结果以调整后的比值比（aOR）和95%置信区间（CI）表示。
应答率为93.6%。大多数准父亲（58.2%，n = 256）从未听说过产后抑郁症。知识得分中位数为10（四分位间距4 - 16），33.6%（n = 148）的参与者有良好的知识水平。良好的知识水平与较高的教育程度（p < 0.001）、有患产后抑郁症的近亲/朋友（p < 0.001）以及之前听说过产后抑郁症（p < 0.001）显著相关。逻辑回归分析显示仅与较高的教育程度（aOR = 2.53；95% CI = 1.54 - 4.15）和之前听说过产后抑郁症（aOR = 5.46；95% CI =
3.47 - 8.59）有显著关联。态度得分中位数为36（四分位间距31 - 40.75），83.4%（n = 367）的人持有积极态度。尽管双变量分析显示在私营部门工作（p = 0.04）和期待第一个孩子（p = 0.04）与积极态度显著相关，但逻辑回归分析未显示任何显著关联。
大多数父亲对产后抑郁症持有积极态度，但他们的知识有限。由于他们的态度是积极有利的，应通过传授知识来缩小知识差距，以便于该地区母亲产后抑郁症的早期发现。
