22
HEALTHCARE
NEWS
6 ways Gen Z interacts differently with the
healthcare system
By Kelly Gooch
C
ompared with older generations, members of Generation Z
were more likely to report feeling emotionally distressed dur-
ing the COVID-19 pandemic but less likely to seek help for
their behavioral health challenges, according to a report by consulting
firm McKinsey & Co.
e report, released Jan. 14, examined consumer surveys and interviews
conducted by McKinsey. Some of the data was based on the firm's analysis
of the U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey as of November
2020. Other findings were based on the McKinsey Consumer Behavioral
Health Survey conducted in November and December 2020 — a nationally
representative survey of about 1,500 responses, including an oversample of
Gen Z respondents. Other findings from the report are from the McKinsey
Consumer Health Insights Survey, conducted in June 2021 — a nation-
ally representative survey of about 2,900 responses, including 316 Gen Z
responses. Five findings:
1. One-fourth of Gen Z respondents reported feeling more emotionally
distressed amid the pandemic, compared to millennials/Gen X (13 percent)
and baby boomers (8 percent).
2. More than half (58 percent) of Gen Z reported two or more unmet social
needs, including income, employment, education, food, housing, transpor-
tation, social support and safety. is compared with 16 percent of people
from older generations.
3. Gen Z members are 1.6 to 1.8 times more likely to report not seeking
treatment for a behavioral health condition than millennials.
4. One in four Gen Z respondents said that they could not afford mental
health services, which had the lowest perceived affordability of services
surveyed, including health insurance and housing.
5. Compared with older generations, Gen Z respondents were one to four
times more likely to report using the emergency room, and two to three
times more likely to report using crisis services or behavioral health urgent
care in the past 12 months. n
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Note: Ad page number(s) given in parentheses
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National Medical Billing Services. nationalascbilling.com / (866) 948-8001 (pg. 24)
