Millennials Accumulate More Chronic Health Problems Than Other Generations: Study

Health

By Angelica Stabile, Fox News

March 10, 2023 | 12:10 p.m.

Millennials are seeking professional help for their health issues more than ever, a new study reveals.

Led by the United Healthcare and Health Action Council, the study explored factors and claims data for policyholders aged 27 to 42, a total of 126,000 people.

It compared current data from April 2021 to March 2022 against historical data dating back to 2012. The results were presented in the group’s sixth annual white paper.

Millennials with common chronic conditions and their children are “high users” of the health care system compared to Gen Xers, according to research.

This includes 106% more hospital admissions for millennials with diabetes and 55% more emergency room (ER) and urgent care (UC) visits for hypertension.

Even though obesity rates among millennials are lower, there were 31% more ER and UC visits and 29% more hospital admissions for obese people.

Millennials with back problems visited the ER and UC 22% more than Gen Xers, with 46% more hospital admissions.

There were 36% more ER and UC visits for millennials with osteoarthritis.

Behavioral health use is up 35% for millennials and their children from pre-pandemic levels.

This includes anxiety, depression and traumatic disorders, which account for 66% of behavioral diagnoses for the generation.

In 2019, 31% of PTSD diagnoses were given to millennials. In 2022, this number has increased to 38%.

Additionally, millennials and their children account for 41% of neurodevelopmental disorder claims, according to the study.

The most common diagnoses include Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) at 43% and Autism Spectrum Disorders at 35%.

As healthcare costs continue to rise, the biggest clinical cost driver for millennials is pregnancy.

These costs increase with complications such as fertility treatments, high-risk pregnancies, multiple births, cesarean deliveries and extended hospital stays.

Millennial parents with Generation Alpha children have a 38% higher rate of health care utilization than those born in other generations.

This includes 22% more ER visits, 9% more UC visits, and 76% more outpatient surgeries.

Millennial parents of Alpha Generation children also scheduled virtual healthcare visits 543% more than other generations.

Expert says millennials are ‘breaking the stigma’

Dr. Mykale Elbe, director of the MSN nurse practitioner program and assistant professor of nursing at the University of Maryville in Town and Country, Missouri, told Fox News Digital that she was “not surprised by these findings. “. She did not participate in the study.

Behavioral health use is up 35% for millennials and their children from pre-pandemic levels.

In terms of mental health, Elba pointed out that millennials and younger generations are “breaking the stigma,” leading to greater awareness of symptoms and seeking help from healthcare providers.

“Since the pandemic, health care providers in all settings have seen an increase in the number of patients with mental health issues seeking help,” she said.

She added that she hopes “this surge will diminish as we move into the post-pandemic period, but that remains to be seen.”

Elba attributed the rise in health care utilization to the recent arrival of accessible medical facilities, such as emergency care, over the past decade.

“It makes health care available at the public’s fingertips for everything from a sore throat and lacerations to more serious issues,” she said.

“With the pandemic and [with] with everyone on heightened alert for any upper respiratory symptoms, we continue to see an increase in healthcare utilization for minor ailments as we have now educated the public that if you have a cough , you need to be tested for COVID,” Elbe added. .

In her experience working in pediatrics, Elbe said she’s seen more parents bring their children in for viral upper respiratory infections than before the pandemic.

“We have now educated the public that if you are coughing you should be tested for COVID.”

“With new healthcare formats available with urgent care and hands-on care clinics, we are seeing patients using healthcare and being more proactive in seeking care on a regular basis,” he said. she declared.

Elba expressed shock at the large increase in diabetic hospital admissions, despite matching other uses of millennial health care.

“Although their cost for diabetes care is higher, their diabetes control is better than that of older populations,” she said. “It makes sense because they are younger, generally healthier and more active than their older counterparts with diabetes.”

Overall, Elba expressed concern about the amount of health care use and cost among millennials, as well as the issue of provider shortages.

“With this shortage, we are seeing longer wait times for patients to be seen by health care providers,” she said.