Video: More Americans worried about economy

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SEATTLE - Despite optimism on Wall Street, a new survey reveals increasing widespread worry among Americans. The poll followed 2,000 people nationwide, but most local residents can relate to it.

You can't escape the signs of recession. The impact of the financial meltdown is hitting Seattle and the Puget Sound area hard. Across the social and economic spectrum stress levels are rising, with little relief in sight.

In the past couple of weeks, the number of people who think the country is moving in the right direction plunged from 28 percent to 15 percent.

Seattle is in a better position in terms of real estate. Still, the overall job loss, high food costs, interest rates, frozen credit is making more people than ever fear losing their job.

Of the 2,000 surveyed, participants weighed in on the cause of their anxiety the last few weeks:

33% job loss
50% mortgage/credit payments
70% retirement savings losses
66% unexpected medical  

The survey by the Associated Press and Yahoo news online shows one third worry about losing their jobs now. Half worry they will be unable to keep up mortgage and credit payments and seven in 10 are anxious about retirement savings losing value. And the majority of people worry about unexpected medical bills.

The picture the survey paints is that Americans have grown less happy since September.  In just the last four weeks, there's an enormous drop in those who say they are happy about the way things are going in their personal lives. Last month it was 70 percent, this month it's just 59 percent.

"It's been pretty stressful," said Kim Sheldon, Seattle shopper. "We're kind of concerned and we see our retirement disappearing and worry about the kids and college funds and things like that, so it is pretty stressful."

"We're cutting back a bit so," said Kirsten Shaw, shopper. "It's definitely impacting how we're looking at the future."

"I have friends on the East Coast who are having a real tough time," said Jonathan Liaw-Gray, shopper. "You know, a lot of friends who work in the community health sector."

Anxiety can also be seen on the faces of Puget Sound families. Kyle Smead owns a local hot dog stand and sees the stress.

"I have a couple of friends who are looking for work and basically just going from one point working their way like a grid looking for jobs," said Smead.

"We wanted to buy some new things, but we're just going to kind of wait and kind of see so we're just kind of in a holding pattern," said one Seattle shopper.

Confidence in government solutions is very weak. Public approval of President Bush and Congress has spiraled down. Twenty-five percent approve of the president, down from 32 percent in August. Eleven percent approve of the job Congress is doing.