Separation from children as a specific risk factor to fathers' health and lifestyles.
OBJECTIVE
The study was to examine whether fathers living apart from their children following divorce or separation ("fathers without children") differ in their health-related lifestyles and attitudes, and in their health status, from fathers in intact family settings ("fathers with children").


METHODS
Data was acquired by means of a self-administered questionnaire within an exploratory cross-sectional survey.


RESULTS
Fathers without children differed in their lifestyle patterns, parameters of satisfaction, health, and health related orientations from fathers with children. Negative lifestyles could be observed in fathers who had a low income and saw their children only rarely.


CONCLUSIONS
Separation from their children is a major life crisis for fathers. Subgroups could be identified who had significant health risks. Due to study design, conclusions on causation are not possible. Longitudinal studies are necessary to yield more detailed impact for prevention.
Grill
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E
Institut für Medizinische Informationsverarbeitung, Biometrie und Epidemiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. grill@ibe.med.uni-muenchen.de
Weitkunat
R
R
Crispin
A
A
D000328:Adult; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005858:Germany; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population