Objective: To determine the prevalence of comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms in fathers and investigate the predictors for comorbidity during the first- and second-year following birth.
Methods: In a longitudinal Canadian study, couples were recruited within 3 weeks of childbirth. Fathers completed a survey after the birth of their child followed by questionnaires at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months postpartum on paternal depression and anxiety symptoms and potential risk factors. Sequential logistic regression was used for analysis.
Results: Of the 3217 enrolled fathers, 2544 (79.08%) provided data for at least one time point during the first year postpartum and 2442 (75.29%) in the second year. Overall, 569 fathers (22.4%) had comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms at some point during the first year postpartum (2.2% at baseline to 8.9% at 6 months), and 323 fathers (13.2%) had comorbidity at some point during their second year postpartum (8.1% at 18 months and 8.6% at 24 months). Strongest risk factors associated with paternal comorbidity were poor or fair perceived health at 4 weeks postpartum, depression before pregnancy, anxiety in the current pregnancy, significant adverse childhood experiences, positive ADHD screen, and victim of intimate partner violence.
Conclusion: High rates of comorbidity among fathers in the first 2 years postpartum demonstrate the importance of perinatal mental health management at a family level. The identification of important modifiable comorbidity risk factors highlights areas for further research and the development of interventions to support paternal mental health to optimize child and family outcomes.
Keywords: comorbidity; fathers; postpartum anxiety; postpartum depression; risk factors.
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