US surgeon general calls parent stress a public health challenge

By Jeff Mason

(Reuters) - The U.S. surgeon general on Wednesday issued a public health advisory about the impact of modern stresses on parents' mental health, calling on government, businesses and community organizations to increase resources to provide them more support.

The advisory issued by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who has used the format previously to address the risks from gun violence and of social media on youth, highlighted a long list of issues that stress out parents and called for policy changes and better community support for them, other caregivers and families as a whole.

Among the policy recommendations, Murthy pressed for federal, state, tribal and local governments to expand funding that supports parents, establish a national paid family and medical leave program, see to it that workers have paid sick time, and provide caregivers with access to affordable mental health care options.

Murthy told Reuters in an interview that parents' mental health had an impact on their offspring.

"Behind this youth mental health crisis is real crisis with parents, where many of them are struggling with profound stress and with their own mental health challenges," Murthy told Reuters in an interview. "If you really want to help kids, one of the things you've got to do is actually help parents."

The advisory called for employers to put in place training programs for managers about stress management and work-life balance and encouraged healthcare professionals and social service groups to screen parents for mental health conditions.

Murthy said there were at least 63 million parents and caregivers, and 48% describe themselves as completely overwhelmed. Parents, particularly single ones, are also experiencing a disproportionate level of loneliness, he said.

President Joe Biden's legislation ensuring paid family and medical leave for Americans was thwarted by Republicans and some Democrats in Congress.

Murthy, whose time in office is expected to conclude at the end of Biden's term in January, said he did not see the issue as political.

"As a country, we need to invest more in caring for ... parents and supporting their well-being," he said. "My hope is that ... the well-being of parents would not be a political or partisan issue."

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Caroline Humer and Stephen Coates)