The mental health of mothers in the United States declined significantly from 2016 to 2023, according to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. 

Researchers from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the University of Michigan Medical School found that, out of nearly 200,000 mothers surveyed, one in 20 reported their mental health was “poor” or “fair” in 2016, increasing to one in 12 by 2023. Additionally, the percentage of mothers who rated their mental health as “excellent” dropped sharply during the study period. In contrast, one in 22 fathers reported fair or poor mental health in 2023. 

The authors of the study found that the prevalence of fair and poor self-reported mental and physical health was considerably higher among mothers of lower education, single mothers, and those whose children are covered by Medicaid or are uninsured.