The CS Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health asked a national sample of parents to rate their level of concern about a variety of health issues. Parents rated each topic as a big problem, a little problem, or not a problem for U.S. children and teens. Here are the top concerns that parents cite as major issues for their children and teens.
Top 10 child health concerns for parents in 2023:
- Excessive use of devices/screen time (67%)
- Social media (66%)
- Internet safety (62%)
- Depression/suicide (57%)
- Bullying (53%)
- Stress/anxiety (52%)
- Unhealthy eating habits (52%)
- Medical expenses/health insurance premiums (50%)
- School violence (49%)
- Smoking/vaping (48%)
Just outside the top 10 are obesity (48%), firearms/firearm injuries (47%), lack of mental health services (47%), poverty (45%), alcohol/drug use (44%), and children. Abuse/neglect (42%), followed by unequal access to health care (35%), parental stress (35%), inaccurate/misleading health information (31%), and teenage pregnancy/sexual activity (31%). %), discrimination (31%), dangerous areas (30%), gay/gender issues (LGBTQ) (29%), and health risks from contaminated water and air (23%). At the bottom of the list are vaccine safety (16%), over-interference/parental overreach (13%), and coronavirus (12%).
A high proportion of parents from low-income (less than $50,000) households view several issues as major problems. These include depression/suicide, bullying, school violence, dangerous neighborhoods, alcohol/drugs, smoking/vaping, teenage pregnancy/sexual activity, child abuse/neglect, parental stress, discrimination, coronavirus, Includes health risks from contamination. In contrast, a higher percentage of parents in middle-income ($50,000-$99,999) and high-income ($100,000+) households view overuse of devices and social media as a major problem. Parents across income groups have similar ratings of unhealthy diets, obesity, medical costs, and lack of mental health services.
highlight
- Top parental concerns center around children and teens’ use of devices and social media.
- More than half of parents rate mental health issues as a major problem.
- Parents from low-income households rate more problems as major problems for their children and teens.
what it means
Since 2007, the Mott Poll has published periodic reports on the level of parental concern about a variety of health-related issues among children and teens in the United States. The most important issues centered on the role of social media and the internet in children’s lives, with two-thirds of parents expressing concern about their children’s increased use of social media and overall screen time. While these topics have become more salient during the pandemic, this report shows that parents’ concerns persist. As previous Mott Poll reports have shown, children are using social media from a young age, and parents need to properly monitor this area to help children avoid the downsides of social media use. I’m struggling with a way to be able to avoid it.
The poll results also show that parents continue to be concerned about their children’s mental health. More than half of parents cited mental health topics such as depression/suicide, stress/anxiety, and related topics such as bullying as major problems for children in the United States. Notably, almost half of parents cited the lack of mental health services as a major problem. The mismatch between the growing number of young people with mental health concerns and limited access to mental health services has short- and long-term implications for children’s well-being.
Parents also expressed high concerns about violence in schools, which may reflect first-hand experience with school shootings and fights or media coverage of such events. Additionally, changes in school environments (e.g., metal detectors, armed guards, locked doors) and increased active shooter drills may remind children and parents of the potential for school violence. While parents try to reassure their children, they may wonder how to deal with their own stress and anxiety. You may want to regularly talk with your child about how they perceive safety at school and their feelings about unsafe events at school. Parents can consult with their child’s teacher or principal to ensure appropriate steps are taken in the event of a dangerous situation.
New to the top 10 are concerns about children’s medical costs, including the cost of purchasing health insurance. In recent years, federal policy has required states to maintain Medicaid enrollment during the pandemic. As these requirements are ending, ineligible families will face the challenge of finding affordable coverage for their children.
Unhealthy eating and obesity continue to be cited as important issues, but they have been replaced by concerns about mental health and social media/screen time. For both ongoing and emerging concerns, parents may find that their child’s health care provider can serve as an effective partner in addressing these issues.
The Mott poll also highlights growing concerns among parents in low-income households about a range of issues. This may reflect children’s daily experiences of dealing with environmental issues, such as living in unsafe neighborhoods, or the bullying and discrimination that children from low-income households often experience. Additionally, low-income parents reported higher levels of concerns about mental health and substance use. Although these issues affect children and teens of all income ranges, lower-income parents may feel more vulnerable to these issues. Overall, parents from low-income households rated more topics as major problems. Concerns about more children’s health problems may be contributing to increased reports of parental stress being a major problem.