National Parent Survey 2017: Worries, hopes, and child well-being

Sociopolitical events impact population health; parents' perspective of such events crosses demographics, geography, and generations. We elicited changes in U.S. parents' hopes and worries for their children 1 year after the 2016 election via an online survey of school climate, discrimination against child, family health care and security, and macrolevel/future concerns (e.g., environment, postsecondary options). Among n = 1189 respondents, national security (39%), the environment (30.5%), and “continued place in America” (25.7%) were most worrisome. In general linear mixed models, employment buffered against social and material stressors such as discrimination (odds ratio [OR] = 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.49–0.92), and family health care/security (OR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.45–0.86) while being of a dominant religion and ethnicity buffered future macrolevel (Christianity, OR = 70; 95% CI = 0.54–0.92/non-Hispanic, OR = 59; 95% CI = 0.39–0.90) and existential “continued place in America” (Christianity, OR = 69; 95% CI = 0.51–0.94/non-Hispanic, OR = 56; 95% CI = 0.36–0.88) worries. Qualitative comments underscored macrolevel worries. Parents represent a unique vantage for gauging how sociopolitical events impact health and well-being.