Table 1.
Characteristics of Respondents with Children Age 0–4 Years and Their Households Compared with Households in Massachusetts with Young Childrena
| Characteristic | Sample (n=353) |
Massachusetts |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | Unweighted % | Weighted % | % | |
| Respondent characteristics | ||||
| Age | ||||
| 18–24 years | 82 | 23.2 | 18.9 | 7.5 |
| 25–34 years | 144 | 40.8 | 33.1 | 35.6 |
| 35 or more years | 127 | 36.0 | 48.0 | 57.0 |
| Female | ||||
| Yes | 237 | 67.1 | 53.3 | 54.3 |
| No | 116 | 32.9 | 46.7 | 45.7 |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||
| Latino | 73 | 20.7 | 27.0 | 17.4 |
| Non-Latino Black | 44 | 12.5 | 8.7 | 8.4 |
| Non-Latino Other or Multiracial | 27 | 7.6 | 6.7 | 13.1 |
| Non-Latino White | 209 | 59.2 | 57.6 | 61.1 |
| Education level | ||||
| Less than a high school degree | 27 | 7.7 | 19.0 | 10.1 |
| High school degree | 157 | 44.5 | 34.1 | 38.9 |
| Associate's degree | 41 | 11.6 | 7.4 | 6.7 |
| Bachelor's degree | 78 | 22.1 | 20.1 | 23.2 |
| Graduate degree | 50 | 14.2 | 19.5 | 21.1 |
| Employment status before the COVID-19 pandemicb | ||||
| Employed | 235 | 66.6 | 76.8 | 76.8 |
| Not employed | 118 | 33.4 | 23.2 | 23.2 |
| Household characteristics | ||||
| Single-adult householdb | ||||
| Yes | 59 | 16.7 | 15.7 | 10.1 |
| No | 294 | 83.3 | 84.3 | 89.9 |
| No. of children age 0–4 years | ||||
| 1 child | 256 | 72.5 | 72.2 | — |
| 2 children | 80 | 22.7 | 21.9 | — |
| 3 or more children | 17 | 4.8 | 5.9 | — |
| Children age 5–17 yearsb | ||||
| Yes | 174 | 49.0 | 47.8 | 42.3 |
| No | 179 | 51.0 | 52.2 | 57.7 |
| 2019 income | ||||
| Less than $50,000 | 194 | 55.0 | 32.7 | 20.3 |
| $50,000- $99,999 | 93 | 26.3 | 22.6 | 25.9 |
| $100,000 or more | 66 | 18.7 | 44.7 | 53.8 |
| Chronic disease diagnoses among household member(s) | ||||
| Yes | 214 | 60.6 | 57.9 | — |
| No | 139 | 39.4 | 42.1 | — |
| Food insecurity and food assistance participation | ||||
| Household food insecurityc | ||||
| Yes | 213 | 62.8 | 55.9 | — |
| No | 126 | 37.2 | 44.1 | — |
| SNAP participation | ||||
| Yes | 178 | 50.4 | 37.1 | — |
| No | 175 | 49.6 | 62.9 | — |
| WIC participation | ||||
| Yes | 133 | 37.7 | 28.3 | — |
| No | 220 | 62.3 | 71.7 | — |
| Food pantry/food bank use | ||||
| Yes | 106 | 30.0 | 25.7 | — |
| No | 247 | 70.0 | 74.3 | — |
| Hardship during the pandemic | ||||
| Household job loss | ||||
| Yes | 131 | 37.1 | 35.7 | — |
| No | 222 | 62.9 | 64.3 | — |
| Screened positive for depression (PHQ-2) | ||||
| Yes | 163 | 46.2 | 42.4 | — |
| No | 190 | 53.8 | 57.6 | — |
Massachusetts comparative data are from the 2019 5-Year American Community Survey. This survey provides information on households with children <6 years of age, while our sample includes respondents with at least one child 0–4 years of age in diapers living in their household.
Massachusetts comparative data have been reclassified to align with table categories. The following groups are considered employed: civilian employed, at work; civilian employed, with a job but not at work; armed forces, at work; and armed forces, with a job but not at work. Adults who are unemployed or not in the labor force are categorized as unemployed. Single-adult households are those with a no spouse or partner present (which is distinct from those with relatives and nonrelatives present). Comparative data for the number of school-aged children in the household includes children 6–17 years of age, rather than 5–17 years.
n=339.
PHQ-2, 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire; SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; WIC, Women, Infants, and Children.