U.S. Surgeon General Advisory: Parental Stress Is a Significant Public Health Issue

By: Julian Ho

In August 2024, the United States Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, released the Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents (read here). The advisory highlights new stressors that previous generations did not have to consider. These include the youth mental health crisis, the epidemic of loneliness, and the influence of social media which creates a “culture of comparison,” leading to an unrealistic expectation around milestones, parenting strategies, achievements, and status symbols. The advisory acknowledges that pursuing these unreasonable expectations may lead to families feeling “exhausted, burned out, and perpetually behind.”

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According to the report, 41% of parents say that most days they are so stressed they cannot function. The advisory notes that this high level of stress among parents preceded the COVID-19 pandemic, which has contributed additional stressors for parents, including having children remain home from school, financial strain/economic instability, and concerns about their own health/mental health and the health of their children.

The Surgeon General’s advisory suggests that supporting parents and caregivers requires a series of thoughtful policy changes, which may include a national paid family and medical leave program, childcare financial assistance, access to comprehensive and affordable mental health care, and creating opportunities to cultivate supportive social connections among parents and caregivers. The advisory also outlines suggestions for friends and families of caregivers, such as offering practical support (assistance with chores, offering childcare, running errands, etc.), as well as connecting with parents/caregivers on a regular basis while listening with empathy and without judgment.

This 2024 report expands on the Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory, Our Epidemic of Loneliness, which reported on the increased isolation and risk of loneliness for all Americans, especially for single parents, families raising a child with special needs, and those with mental health challenges. Loneliness is correlated with troublesome outcomes in health, mental health, and child maltreatment. This year’s report and call to action is timely and increasingly important.

Dr. Murthy writes, “While parents and caregivers bear the primary responsibility for raising children, society as a whole must see itself as sharing in this responsibility—and shaping policy, programs, and individual behavior accordingly.”