Among 4,290 new fathers surveyed, those who took unpaid leave were 58% more likely to report anxiety than fathers who had paid paternity leave. Among dads already showing depression symptoms, 75% said a financial barrier was why they couldn't take the time off they needed. The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health in June 2026, is one of the clearest signals yet that paternity leave is a public health issue — not just an HR benefit.
The research came from Northwestern University and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, led by pediatrician and fatherhood researcher Dr. Craig Garfield. His team analyzed data from the 2022–2023 Ohio Fatherhood Survey — one of the most comprehensive U.S. sources on fathers' experiences during the perinatal period.
The breakdown: 54% of fathers in the study took paid leave, 22% took unpaid leave, and 15% took no leave at all. Overall, 6.6% had depression and 11% had anxiety. The risk concentrated most heavily in the unpaid and no-leave groups — and the financial barrier was the through-line.
"Paternal leave is not just a workplace benefit, it's a public health issue that can deeply impact families and children," Dr. Garfield said.
The design flaw is structural: the men most likely to need time off are often the least able to afford it. And an anxious, depressed dad in those first months affects the whole household — his partner's recovery, the couple's connection, the baby's development.
Source: Northwestern University / American Journal of Public Health, June 18, 2026
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