Dads are dying after their kids are born, and no one is tracking it
Northwestern UniversityPeer-Reviewed Publication
While maternal deaths are closely tracked, paternal mortality is rarely examined. Research shows fathers — particularly men in their 20s through early 40s — die disproportionately from preventable causes such as suicide, overdose, homicide and accidental injury. Yet paternal mortality is rarely examined in connection to the transition to parenthood. A new Northwestern University study examined paternal mortality data in Georgia and found 60% of deaths were from potentially preventable causes like homicide, accidental injury, suicide, which the study authors call a "huge missed opportunity." The study includes Georgia data only, and the reason is because studying these trends nationally is difficult because of how data is collected and de-identified. The study authors hope the findings will prompt other states to analyze their own data to better understand paternal mortality at a state level and work collectively to create a system to analyze this important national trend.
- Journal
- JAMA Pediatrics