Self-reported mental health of mothers declined significantly from 2016 to 2023, a study published May 27 in JAMA Internal Medicine found.
The study examined data from more than 198,000 female parents of children aged 0 to 17.
Here are five things to know:
- The prevalence of mothers reporting “excellent” mental health declined from 38.4% in 2016 to 25.8% in 2023.
- The percentage of mothers reporting “fair/poor” mental health rose from 5.5% in 2016 to 8.5% in 2023.
- The study also examined self-reported physical health among mothers. The percentage of mothers reporting excellent physical health declined from 28% to 23.9%, while the share reporting good physical health rose from 24.3% to 28%.
- Mental health declined across socioeconomic groups, but mothers who were U.S.-born, single parents, less educated, or had publicly insured or uninsured children were more likely to report worse physical and mental health.
- The study points to a need for further investigation of the underlying causes of mental health decline among mothers, the study’s authors concluded.
The study was conducted by researchers at New York City-based Columbia University and Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan.
Read the full study here.
