Fewer Americans now approve of the way that President Barack Obama is handling the economy and health care, pushing his overall job rating below the crucial 50 percent mark, according to the latest CBS News poll.

The poll finds 46 percent approve of the job Mr. Obama is doing as president, while 41 percent disapprove. His approval rating is down from 50 percent in a New York Times/CBS News poll last month, and 56 percent from October, to its lowest level in Times or CBS News polls to date.

The president’s marks for handling the top domestic issues are even lower, according to the poll. On the economy, 41 percent approve, down 6 points in the last month to a new low. And just 36 percent approve of the way Mr. Obama is handling health care, also down 6 points to a new low. Most, 54 percent, disapprove.

The public extends its low marks for handling health care to Congress. The poll found 57 percent disapproving of the way Democrats in Congress have dealt with the issue, and 61 percent disapproving of the way Republicans have. Few are satisfied with how the changes under consideration in Congress will expand coverage, control costs, or regulate the health insurance industry. Instead, most say they will either go too far or won’t go far enough.

Mr. Obama receives better reviews in the poll on the issue of terrorism. Less than three weeks since the attempted attack on Christmas Day, most Americans approve of the way he is handling the threat of terrorism, and, specifically, how his administration responded to the attempted attack.

And while two in three Americans now say another attack in the United States is likely within the next few months, a broad majority also expresses confidence in the government’s ability to protect its citizens from future attacks (though just 15 percent have a great deal of confidence).

The nationwide CBS News poll was conducted by telephone Jan. 6-10 among 1,216 adults. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.