Americans are not getting to the doctor on time.
“It is proven that early detection saves lives, and the data shows that not enough Americans are practicing behaviors that are in their best interests,” says Matthew Owenby, Aflac’s chief strategy officer. The report was conducted by Kantar Profiles on behalf of Aflac, and is the result of a survey of 2,000 employed Americans between the ages of 18 and 65 from January of this year.
However, the results were more stark for younger adults. Gen Z and Millennials were most likely to avoid health screenings, with over half saying they won’t wait more than two weeks for an appointment with a doctor or specialist. Nearly a third of Gen Z reported not liking or trusting their doctor, or feeling embarrassed with them—the highest percentage of any generation.
Younger adults are also more apt to take non-traditional paths toward their health care and consult friends, family, or social media for their health, per the report.
“In many ways, the health care system feels like a stranger to them,” Owenby says. “GenZ’s comfort with technology and social media for health information combined with financial anxiety and distrust could be creating an approach that prioritizes convenience and immediacy over preventive care.”
“It’s important to not associate going for a checkup or a screening with receiving bad news,” he says. “More often than not, it can provide peace of mind. It’s like wearing your seatbelt when you drive.”
