Although Gen Z is considered the generation of those who focus on social issues and a healthy life, a study conducted in the USA shows something completely different. New data suggests that they are more indifferent about maintaining their health.
Surprising findings of a study on Generation Z Photo: Shutterstock
A Cleveland Clinic survey found that US men between the ages of 18 and 43 are about half as likely to get annual physicals, more likely to smoke and more likely to seek help for mental illness , compared to older generations.
Young people worry less about their health. There has been an increase in the number of people seeking medical help on TikTok or through Google searches rather than talking to a doctor in person, according to a study, according to the Daily Mail.
Two in five Gen Z men say they don’t have a family doctor, and many say they’re unsure or have never had their blood pressure checked.
The Cleveland Clinic surveyed about 1,000 adult men in the US in an educational campaign to encourage them to be more proactive about their health. Men who participated in the survey were interviewed about their health practices between June 12-25, 2024.
Some respondents even admitted that they had never had their blood pressure or cholesterol taken. The majority of men in all age groups, 87 percent of them, were concerned about how their current health habits could affect their overall health in the future.
“We saw in the survey that men are concerned about how the health decisions they make now will affect them in the future. Monitoring key indicators in men, such as blood pressure and cholesterol, in addition to sexual health issues, is crucial because we know they can often signal a greater underlying health condition.,” said Dr. Petar Bajic, director of the Center for Men’s Health at the Cleveland Clinic.
Women are generally more proactive about their health than men. They are also more likely to have health insurance and a regular source of health care. A major survey by the Commonwealth Fund found that three times as many men as women had not seen a doctor in the previous year.
Young people focus on mental health care
Despite the discrepancies, three-quarters of all men in the study feared getting cancer at some point in their lives. At the same time, screening rates for cancers, especially colon and prostate, are declining.
Meanwhile, about 40 percent of men ages 50 to 75 haven’t been screened recently, according to the Cleveland Clinic’s follow-up.
The only health issue discussed in the study where younger men came out on top was mental health care. The researchers didn’t offer an explanation for why younger men might be more willing to seek help, but a decrease in the stigma of mental illness among younger adults and teens could encourage more people to get the help they need. need.
As part of the survey, men were asked where they go for health information. Only five percent of Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1970) said they use social media, compared to 33 percent of Gen Z men.
Many men look online to find answers to their health questions before seeking a doctor. In fact, most men would rather do anything else, including housework, than go to the doctor, the study also found.
