Training of Health Professionals to Promote Active Fatherhood during the Pre and Post-Natal Care to Prevent Violence against Women

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Figures should be labeled according to instructions for authors and by a descriptive caption or title. Captions should be concise but comprehensive. They should describe the data shown, draw attention to important features contained within the figure, and may sometimes also include interpretations of the data. Except for too many categories in figs 2 & 3 (so plots look vague), I do not have any serious criticisms. Perhaps all the references are not really necessary, so avoid unnecessary citations. Use only the most relevant and up-to-date sources. Authors should try to limit that number to approximately 35. As of curiosity, I run Turnitin plagiarism check (not done previously) – and… well I append the report. 

To conclude – I recommend revisions including references and figures, plagiarism rate should also be reduced.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Figures should be labeled according to instructions for authors and by a descriptive caption or title. Captions should be concise but comprehensive. They should describe the data shown, draw attention to important features contained within the figure, and may sometimes also include interpretations of the data.

• Done

Except for too many categories in figs 2 & 3 (so plots look vague), I do not have any serious criticisms.

• We agree that there are many categorie. We choose to keep all the questionnaire categories as they all contribute to the description of the father’s role and the stereotypes.

Perhaps all the references are not really necessary, so avoid unnecessary citations. Use only the most relevant and up-to-date sources. Authors should try to limit that number to approximately 35.

• Thanks for your suggestion. We reduced the number of citations to 39.

As of curiosity, I run Turnitin plagiarism check (not done previously) – and… well I append the report.

• Thanks for this check. As for source N.1 (5%), we simply recalled in the text the questionnaire items adapted from the Program P checklist for health services and the GEM Scale (appropriately cited in bibliography), as explained in the methods. As for the other sources, they are mainly standard expression used in the field of mother and child health, statistics or violence prevention.

To conclude – I recommend revisions including references and figures, plagiarism rate should also be reduced.

Reviewer 2 Report

The manuscript addresses a needed topic that could be of interest in different contexts. The study implemented an intervention which provides more opportunities for changes in practice.

Suggestion for title: "Training of health professionals to promote active fatherhood during pre and post-natal care to prevent violence against women".

Abstract: Rather use the term: "women exposed to violence" than "abused women" . The study aims are more than just to assess attitudes, practices and perceived competencies of social-healthcare professionals on fathers’ active engagement in care, and on prevention and management of violence against women - it seems to actually assess the changes in attitudes, practices and perceived competencies, per and post intervention - also see end of introduction - to align the study aims in the manuscript and abstract.

The introduction highlights the statistics related to the problem of violence. There are some technical and editing changes recommended as some sentences are not clear.

Materials and methods: The section where the modules are described are very long and can be summarised - refer the reader to the summary in the figure. The population included in the study is a bit confusing: "social and health professionals, lecturers and coordinators in Midwifery. Different professional figures operating both on the community and in hospital level were involved." Why lecturers if the study was aimed at practitioners? Who are coordinators in midwifery? Managers? The term "professional figures" is also not clear - suggest to clearly indicate the population by using inclusion and exclusion criteria - and the briefly provide a rationale for the different criteria. Measures for obtaining ethical requirements and rigor of the study are not well described.

The discussion is a bit short and does not highlight the unique contribution of the study effectively. The unique contribution lies in the intervention - a program that can be implemented in different context to bring about changes in practice. Perhaps opinions of the authors on the applicability of the program can be included in the conclusion. The conclusion refers to experiences on e-learning - not clear what these refer to and why it was included here.

In general: The manuscript requires editing as some sentences are not clear and some terms are not applicable or the appropriate term to be used in the context. The term "fathers" implicates that the study refers to traditional couples and families, and that the father is the male figure, in which case his behaviour or actions should become more supportive towards the woman pre and post delivery. Here and there the authors refer to "partners" or other types of relationships or families which becomes a bit confusing - use either the term "fathers" or "partners" consistently. Perhaps in the introduction and conclusion a few comments on how the study context and findings can also be applicable to alternative families?   

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

The manuscript addresses a needed topic that could be of interest in different contexts. The study implemented an intervention which provides more opportunities for changes in practice.

Suggestion for title: "Training of health professionals to promote active fatherhood during pre and post-natal care to prevent violence against women".

• Done

Abstract: Rather use the term: "women exposed to violence" than "abused women".

• Done

The study aims are more than just to assess attitudes, practices and perceived competencies of social-healthcare professionals on fathers’ active engagement in care, and on prevention and management of violence against women - it seems to actually assess the changes in attitudes, practices and perceived competencies, per and post intervention - also see end of introduction - to align the study aims in the manuscript and abstract.

• Done

The introduction highlights the statistics related to the problem of violence. There are some technical and editing changes recommended as some sentences are not clear.

• Done

Materials and methods: The section where the modules are described are very long and can be summarised - refer the reader to the summary in the figure.

• PARENT is an European project and has applied different training content and methodologies. Therefore, we consider it might be useful to give a description of the course, that can be used in different contests. It this is not a major issue, we will keep the description.

The population included in the study is a bit confusing: "social and health professionals, lecturers and coordinators in Midwifery. Different professional figures operating both on the community and in hospital level were involved." Why lecturers if the study was aimed at practitioners? Who are coordinators in midwifery? Managers? The term "professional figures" is also not clear - suggest to clearly indicate the population by using inclusion and exclusion criteria - and the briefly provide a rationale for the different criteria.

• Done

Measures for obtaining ethical requirements and rigor of the study are not well described.

• Done

The discussion is a bit short and does not highlight the unique contribution of the study effectively. The unique contribution lies in the intervention - a program that can be implemented in different context to bring about changes in practice. Perhaps opinions of the authors on the applicability of the program can be included in the conclusion.

• Done

The conclusion refers to experiences on e-learning - not clear what these refer to and why it was included here.

• Thanks for your comment. We included the reference to e-learning experiences because, due to current emergency and the changes this situation implied, we suggest as a training model for Local Health Authorities an online course with medium-high interaction, limited costs, which is easily replicable and sustainable.

In general: The manuscript requires editing as some sentences are not clear and some terms are not applicable or the appropriate term to be used in the context. The term "fathers" implicates that the study refers to traditional couples and families, and that the father is the male figure, in which case his behaviour or actions should become more supportive towards the woman pre and post delivery. Here and there the authors refer to "partners" or other types of relationships or families which becomes a bit confusing - use either the term "fathers" or "partners" consistently. Perhaps in the introduction and conclusion a few comments on how the study context and findings can also be applicable to alternative families?

• Thanks for your suggestion. Done in the introduction.

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

I think it's ok.