Research findings from The Fatherhood Project and others has shown that a man’s health affects the well-being of his children and family. The Fatherhood Project’s Dr. Ray Levy and John Badalament will be participating in the White House event Dialogue on Men’s Health on Friday, January 8th. Led by Broderick Johnson, Chair of the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force, and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, officials from the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as select stakeholders from around the country, will highlight the current state of men’s health and discuss strategies for actively engaging men in their health.
Our preliminary research at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics revealed several health issues among new fathers, especially lower income men. These findings include:
- 26% of men reported symptoms of depression, with 8% reporting severe depression symptoms (36% for lower income men)
- 36% of men had not had a physical within the last year (55% for lower income men)
- 50% were overweight
By engaging fathers (especially those in at-risk populations) in their health, we can keep with our mission to improve the health and well-being of children and families. We look forward to discussing strategies for moving forward at Friday’s event.