Trends and Disparities in Maternal Self-Reported Mental and Physical Health

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2834318 The percentage of mothers reporting “excellent” mental health dropped from 38 percent in 2016 to 26 percent in 2023, according to a new study in JAMA Internal Medicine. Using data from the National Survey of Children’s Health, researchers analyzed responses from 198,417 female biological or adoptive parents of children aged 0 to 17. During the same eight-year period, reports of “excellent” physical health declined from 28 percent to 24 percent. Mental health ratings were lower among mothers who were born in the United States, were single parents, had less education or had children who were publicly insured or uninsured. In contrast, fathers were more likely than mothers to report excellent mental and physical health, though their reports showed relatively similar declines throughout the study period. The authors suggest the decline in parents’ mental health may be an early warning sign of worsening mental health in the U.S. population, especially among women.