They are often referred to as the health-conscious generation, but new data suggests that Gen Zers are more carefree when it comes to maintaining their health.
A national survey A Cleveland Clinic study found that American men ages 18 to 43 are about half as likely to get annual physicals, are more likely to vape and are more likely to seek help for mental illness compared with older generations.
In part, this is simply because young people are less concerned about their health. They are also more likely to seek medical help on TikTok and through Google searches than by consulting a primary care doctor.
But it comes at a time when cancers, including colorectal cancer, are increasing among young people at record rates and having a doctor who can detect the disease and manage a patient’s risk factors is more crucial than ever.
Two in five Gen Z men say they don’t have a primary care provider, and many said they’re unsure or have never had their blood pressure checked.
The Cleveland Clinic surveyed about 1,000 adult men 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 and June 25 of this year.
Nearly two in five Gen Z men (those born between 1997 and 2005) do not have a primary care physician.
Some respondents even admitted that they had never had their blood pressure taken, cholesterol measured or body mass index checked.
At the same time, the vast majority of men across all age groups (87 percent) were concerned about how their current health habits could affect their overall health in the future.
Dr. Petar Bajic, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Men’s Health, said: ‘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 these can often indicate a more serious underlying health problem.’
Women are generally More proactive about Women are more concerned about their health than men. They are also more likely to have health insurance and a regular source of medical care. A major survey by the Commonwealth Fund found that three times as many men as women had not visited a doctor in the previous year.
Compared with 61 percent of Gen Xers and baby boomers who report getting an annual physical, only 32 percent of Millennial and Gen Z men said the same.
Annual physical exams are recommended to maintain overall health and detect potential problems early. They are essential for preventative care and help doctors identify trends in a person’s health that could indicate disease.
The physical exam usually involves taking vital signs, including blood pressure and respiratory rate, as well as a physical exam of the head and neck, heart and lungs, abdomen, skin, and nervous system (this is the test that involves tapping the knee to elicit a reflex).
Despite the discrepancies, three-quarters of all men in the study were afraid of contracting cancer at some point in their lives. At the same time, detection rates for cancers, particularly colorectal and prostate cancer, have declined.
Older men were less likely to smoke or vape. Vaping, in particular, has become extremely popular among young adults, while smoking rates have declined over the past decade.
The only metric in which younger men were shown to be more proactive than older men related to mental health care. Older men were slightly less likely to seek help for mental disorders.
The American Cancer Society reported last year that nearly 700,000 American men have not yet been screened for prostate cancer, which kills 32,000 to 35,000 men each year.
And colorectal cancer screening, now recommended starting at age 45, remains below what doctors expect to see. In 2021, less than 20 percent of people ages 45 to 49 were up to date on recommended screenings, such as colonoscopy and blood tests.
Meanwhile, about 40 percent of men ages 50 to 75 have not been screened recently, according to Follow-up by the CDC.
Millennials and Gen Z were also more likely to vape or smoke. Only 43 percent of younger adults said they avoided both, compared with 60 percent of older men.
Older men tend to be more frequent smokers than younger adults ages 18 to 24, who are more likely to vape. About five percent of 18- to 24-year-olds and 13 percent of 25- to 44-year-olds smoke cigarettes, compared with 15 percent of 45- to 64-year-olds and eight percent of those 65 and older.
The only health metric where younger men gained was mental health care.
Millennials and Gen Z were more likely to seek help for mental health issues than baby boomers. While just over half of older Gen Xers and baby boomers said they sought professional help, nearly 60 percent of Millennial and Gen Z men said the same.
The researchers did not offer an explanation for why younger men might be more willing to access help, but a decrease in stigma about mental illness among younger adults and teens could be encouraging more people to seek the help they need.
The survey also asked men where they go for health information. Only 5 percent of baby boomers said they turn to social media, compared with 33 percent of Gen Z men.
Many men look for answers to their health questions on the Internet before going to a doctor. In fact, most men would rather do anything else, including household chores, than go to the doctor.
