abstract: 'Background Family-centred maternity care models include the expectation

  that fathers prepare for and attend the birth. In Australia over 20\% of

  the population is from a culturally and linguistically diverse

  background. Public policies espouse culturally competent healthcare.

  Little is known about the experiences of perinatal health care of men

  from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities living in

  high income countries. The aim was to understand the experiences,

  attitudes and beliefs about father''s inclusion in perinatal healthcare,

  from the growing, and recently settled community of Ethiopian families

  living in Australia. Methods A qualitative study using semi-structured

  individual interviews with Ethiopian-Australian men and women who had

  experienced Australian maternity care and were sampled for diversity of

  time since migration, and parity. Interviews were in English,

  audio-recorded, transcribed and then analysed thematically. Results

  Participants were seven women and six men all born in Ethiopia,

  including two couples. Key themes included: the loss of extended family

  through migration, new roles for both parents and the need to establish

  `family-like'' relationships with friendship groups in Australia. There

  was a willingness to involve male partners in the Ethiopian community in

  Australia, although it was recognised as a cultural change. Experiences

  of male partner involvement were mixed among healthcare types, with men

  attending Maternal and Child Health (MCH) appointments less frequently

  than antenatal (ANC) appointments. Conclusions Results suggests men may

  be missing out on the education provided during antenatal appointments

  and may benefit from an alternative. There were not universally high

  levels of cultural competency among healthcare professionals, with

  further training still required. Commitment to paid employment remains a

  barrier to men''s involvement, suggesting that flexible working

  conditions and increased paternity leave would support their

  involvement. Alternatively services could utilise flexible delivery

  methods such as phone and zoom to include fathers.'
affiliation: 'Forbes, F (Corresponding Author), Monash Univ, Sch Publ Hlth \& Prevent
  Med, Global \& Womens Hlth, 553 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, Vic 3004, Australia.

  Forbes, Faye; Fisher, Jane, Monash Univ, Sch Publ Hlth \& Prevent Med, Global \&
  Womens Hlth, 553 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, Vic 3004, Australia.

  Wynter, Karen, Deakin Univ, Fac Hlth, Sch Nursing \& Midwifery Western Hlth Partnership,
  Melbourne, Vic 3000, Australia.

  Zeleke, Berihun M., Monash Univ, Sch Publ Hlth \& Prevent Med, 553 St Kilda Rd,
  Melbourne, Vic 3004, Australia.

  Zeleke, Berihun M., Univ Gondar, Coll Med \& Hlth Sci, Inst Publ Hlth, Gondar, Ethiopia.'
article-number: '1029'
author: Forbes, Faye and Wynter, Karen and Zeleke, Berihun M. and Fisher, Jane
author-email: faye.forbes@monash.edu
author_list:
- family: Forbes
  given: Faye
- family: Wynter
  given: Karen
- family: Zeleke
  given: Berihun M.
- family: Fisher
  given: Jane
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-07058-z
eissn: 1472-6963
files: []
journal: BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
keywords: 'Father inclusive; Male partner involvement; Perinatal healthcare;

  Culturally and linguistically diverse; Maternity care; Migrant;

  Pregnancy; Childbirth; Father involvement; Qualitative'
keywords-plus: 'MIGRANT WOMEN; CHILD HEALTH; IMMIGRANT; BIRTH; PREGNANCY; BABY;

  PERCEPTIONS; VICTORIA; SUPPORT; SERVICES'
language: English
month: SEP 30
number: '1'
number-of-cited-references: '56'
orcid-numbers: Wynter, Karen/0000-0003-4620-7691
papis_id: 837adc5ac0455b3739fa632c7119211f
ref: Forbes2021fathersinvolvement
times-cited: '3'
title: 'Fathers'' involvement in perinatal healthcare in Australia: experiences and
  reflections of Ethiopian-Australian men and women'
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000702365100001
usage-count-last-180-days: '1'
usage-count-since-2013: '5'
volume: '21'
web-of-science-categories: Health Care Sciences \& Services
year: '2021'