Amid mounting care access barriers, young adults seek health AI
Survey data shows Gen Z and millennials use AI for health advice more than older generations, likely because they're more frustrated with care access inefficiencies.
Up to three-quarters of young adults are using AI for health support before seeking the advice of a medical provider, according to new polling from Aflac and Kantar Profiles.
But this doesn't necessarily indicate a preference for AI chatbots. Rather, it could indicate growing frustration from Gen Z and millennial patients seeking care in an increasingly complex and unaffordable healthcare system.
The rate at which Gen Z and millennial patients use AI for health support far outpaces that of older healthcare consumers, the survey of more than 2,000 employed U.S. adults showed. While 76% of Gen Z and 63% of millennials use the technology for health advice, only 47% of Americans overall said the same.
In fact, 18% of Gen Z and 14% of millennials say they won't even book with a provider until they've exhausted all other AI or online tools or until their health concerns escalate. This was far less common among older adults, reaching less than 5% of Gen X or baby boomer respondents.
Much has been made of AI chatbots and how patients might use them to bypass growing healthcare costs. That could be part of what's happening here, as 50% of Americans overall report increased stress due to healthcare costs. But Gen Z and millennials' cost concerns are right in line with the national average, the Aflac survey showed. In other words, cost alone can't explain why they use AI more than other age groups.
Instead, industry leaders seeking to better understand young adults' online health habits should consider the burden of healthcare complexity.
Traditional healthcare models not working for young adults
Young adults' frustration with the traditional healthcare model is showing up in the form of disengagement. Around two-thirds of Gen Z (65%) and 61% of millennials say they've delayed or skipped routine checkups and screenings, higher rates than Gen X (47%) and baby boomers (33%).
It's not exactly surprising that younger patients are foregoing primary and preventive care. Young adults are generally healthier and report fewer chronic illnesses that need attention. According to the Aflac survey, 35% of Gen Z and 29% of millennials said they didn't access primary and preventive care because they already feel healthy. That's compared to a quarter of all respondents who said the same.
But the access divide is likely more complex than that.
Instead, it's clear that Gen Z and millennial patients are sick of the logistical issues that have long plagued medicine. Around half of young adults said their biggest hurdle to accessing preventive care was the logistics, including scheduling difficulties, long appointment wait times and having to take time off work. This compares to 43% of respondents overall.
Long appointment wait times stood out as a particular sticking point, with 41% of Gen Z saying they've canceled or decided not to schedule an appointment because the wait time was too long.
Young patients take their healthcare online
According to the Aflac researchers, it's not entirely worrisome that young adults are leveraging AI, per se, but some startling trends are emerging.
"The use of AI and other digital-first healthcare resources isn't inherently negative, as it ultimately depends on how the information is used," Matthew Owenby, Aflac Inc.'s chief human resources officer and chief administrative officer, said in a press release. "What is alarming is the rate that Gen Z is delaying or forgoing preventive care, greatly lessening the opportunity for early detection or a critical health diagnosis from a medical professional."
Young adults are taking their healthcare online, in general, the survey continued. Although still in the minority, the number of young adults who trust influencers and social media as health resources far outpaces their older counterparts.
Around a quarter (23%) of Gen Z and 17% of millennials trust influencers, compared to less than 5% of Gen X and baby boomers. More young adults trust social media, with 28% of Gen Z and 20% of millennials reporting trust overall. Meanwhile, only 6% of Gen X and 4% of baby boomers trust social media sites for health information.
In fact, young adults' trust in online resources (online search, medical websites and social media) is starting to outpace their trust in providers. For example, only 22% of Gen Z and 31% of millennials prefer to consult healthcare professionals for healthcare advice. This compares to 45% of Gen Z and 54% of millennials who consult online search for medical advice.
Despite being plugged into online health resources, the survey showed that a patient education gap persists. Americans of any age aren't sure when they're supposed to begin getting cancer screenings.
Gen Z, in particular, is falling behind. A whopping 90% of Gen Z who have been diagnosed with cancer admit to avoiding a screening. Meanwhile, 51% of Gen Z don't think it's likely they will ever be diagnosed with cancer.
Instead of accessing a cancer screening, 15% of Gen Z said they prefer to research online, while 11% said they prefer to self-diagnose.
"As a leading provider of cancer insurance in the United States, Aflac often sees both the positive impact of early detection and the negative consequences of a delayed diagnosis," Owenby said. "Fortunately, early detection can push five-year survival rates above 90% for many cancers, according to the American Cancer Society."
Sara Heath is an executive editor at Xtelligent Healthcare Media, where she covers patient engagement, healthcare policy and health IT.
