New studies show American millennials declining at a faster rate than Gen X due to their physical and mental health. Without proper management, millennials could see a 40% increase in mortality compared to Gen-Xers of the same age, the report states.
According to a new Blue Cross Blue Shield report, millennials have seen a rise in depression and “deaths of despair.”. And with the rising cost of healthcare, the study found that many in the generation are not seeking the help they need. Healthcare is a major cost that plagues millennials in need of medical assistance. In 1960, the average annual health-insurance cost per person was $146. By 2016, it had increased to $10,345 with costs expected to further increase to $14,944 by 2023.
The report credits millennials’ health decline to both physical conditions, such as hypertension and high cholesterol, and to behavioral health — including the rise in depression, anxiety, ADHD and substance abuse. According to the report, rates of depression and hyperactivity among American millennials increased by about 30% from 2014 to 2017. Previous reports from Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Health Index found that major depression diagnoses are rising at a faster rate for millennials and teens than they are for any other age group.
Accidental deaths have also led the alarming statistics. The study also found that accidental deaths from heroin and other opioid overdoses have increased by 1,400% among all generations from 2010 to 2017. In a June report by the public-health groups Trust for America’s Health and Well Being Trust, it found that of the 36,000 American millennials who died in 2017 alone, drug overdoses were the most common cause of death.
The rising cost in health care is being placed at forefront when it comes to the reasoning behind this uptick. The affordability crisis of healthcare has become worse for millennials who can’t afford treatment. A Blue Cross report found one in five millennials diagnosed with major depression don’t seek treatment and it’s likely because they can’t afford to do so.
