335 - Finding Fathers: How Non-Birthing Parent Data is Collected across the United States through Public Health Birth Certificates

Monday, May 1, 2023

9:30 AM – 11:30 AM ET

Poster Number: 335
Publication Number: 335.447

Craig Garfield, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Gabriella Nyambura, Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine, Evanston, IL, United States; Zecilly Guzman, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Cicero, IL, United States; Raj Dalal, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; Joshua Santiago, Northwestern University The Feinberg School of Medicine, Mount Prospect, IL, United States; Christopher JP. Harrison, Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States; Clarissa Simon, Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL, United States

Presenting Author(s)

CG

Craig Garfield, MD, MAPP

Professor
Lurie Children's Hospital
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Background: Data collected on birth certificates (BC) plays a major role in public health research and as a representation of contemporary family structures. Despite the influence of fathers and other non-birthing parents on the health and wellbeing of mothers, infants, and families, little is known about how the United States collects institutional data when infants are born.

Objective: To evaluate how BC data on non-birthing parents are collected for married and unmarried parents (voluntary acknowledgment form, VAF), including variability in collection at the state level.

Design/Methods: All 50 states' Offices of Vital Statistics along with Puerto Rico, New York City and District of Columbia were surveyed on how institutional birth record data are collected, including current and planned data fields and use of parent contact information. Descriptive statistics and state comparative analyses are presented.

Results:

With responses still coming in, current response rate=55% (29/53). Across sites, most require collection of names (77%), date of birth (79%) and place of birth (77%) on the birth certificate for fathers and non-birthing parents; social security number (53%), race/ethnicity (50%), and residential address (41%) are less frequently required. No states require email and only 9% allow email as an option; 3% require cell phone and 19% allow it as an option. VAF had lower collection of emails (3% optional) but higher required cell phone number collected (22%; 16% optional). BC refer to non-birthing parents primarily as fathers (40%), father or parent (20%), and 40% use gender-neutral terms [parent, some qualifier (e.g. 2nd, II, 2, B)]. For the unmarried VAF 71% used the term “paternity,” the remainder use gender-neutral “parent” or “parentage”. Sex was a required VAF data field for 16% of respondent states. Only one state was in the process of collecting sex/sexual orientation on VAF. While no states currently use email to contact non-birth parents, 13% report future plans to use this modality.

Conclusion(s): Substantial variability in states’ BC collection of father and non-birth parent records exists, with even greater variability in data collected from unmarried couples. This along with the lack of required and standardized data limits gender equity and inclusion in national child and family health initiatives. Better availability of data can inform public health surveillance programs in reaching all parents involved in the health and wellbeing of their infants and families.