Obstetrician knowledge, attitude, and practice behavior regarding paternity establishment

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess obstetrician knowledge and behavior as it relates to paternity establishment for unwed mothers in the state of Michigan. Masked questionnaires were sent to 1328 obstetricians. Statistics were based on the binomial distribution, with significance reported at P < .05. Ordinal logistic regression was performed evaluating the relationship between physician attitudes and paternity establishment success rates. The response rate was 44%. Respondents were more likely male (56%), married (82%), white (80%), and with children (78%). Few (13%) provided their unwed gravidas with paternity establishment information. Only 37% knew that their hospital had a paternity establishment program. Forty-four percent knew the State unwed rate for live births; 20% knew the average hospital paternity establishment rate; 13% correctly answered when federal sanctioning occurred. Knowledge regarding statewide unwed delivery rates and paternity establishment was correlated to rates within the respondent’s own institution (P < .05). Physician attitudes were significantly associated with individual hospital paternity establishment rates. Most obstetricians agreed that it was important to have a legal father (91%) and that paternity establishment is important for the child (76%). Few thought that it was an invasion of privacy (10%) or that it was primarily for child support (40%). Only 21% thought that the paternity establishment process was clearly defined. In our survey, the obstetricians were generally poorly informed regarding data related to unwed deliveries, paternity establishment regulations, and current government mandates. Attitudinal responses suggested that clinicians are supportive of paternity establishment goals. Physician behavior correlates with hospital paternity establishment success rates.