When discussing chronic health conditions, we often think of our parents’ generation or those beyond. After all, they grew up in an era where smoking was considered a “friend,” and car seats were rarely used. But here’s a curveball. According to a recent Health Action Council 2023 White Paper, millennials, those aged 27 to 42, are now leading the charge in chronic health conditions, surpassing all older generations.
A conversation between Levi and Shannon Aylesworth, founder and CEO of Ursamin, delves into this perplexing health trend. They discuss how millennials are seeing increased rates of hospital admissions due to conditions like diabetes (106% increase), hypertension (55% increase in ER visits), and obesity (29% increase in hospital admissions). The question that naturally arises is, “Why is this the case?”
One potential answer lies in the changing dynamics of healthcare access and utilization. Millennials are seen to favor telehealth visits over in-person doctor visits, a shift potentially caused by the limited availability of appointments and the convenience of virtual healthcare. However, this new healthcare method might not provide the ongoing care needed for managing chronic conditions, potentially leading to acute flare-ups that necessitate ER visits.
Beyond this, there may also be a cultural aspect at play. Millennials, lacking long-standing relationships with doctors and less familiar with managing health conditions, may resort to ER visits when they don’t know how to handle a health situation. As a result, this generation’s hospital admission and ER visit rates may reflect poor disease management and not just an actual increase in disease prevalence.
The findings of this report underline the importance of preventative care and health education, particularly for millennials. This is where platforms like Ursamin come into play. Ursamin, a health data platform, assists users in understanding their personal health baseline and managing chronic illnesses through better education.
The company believes that providing individuals with a consolidated database of their health records and indicators can empower them to take control of their health management. This includes understanding their baseline health, recognizing anomalies, and establishing a feedback loop with their healthcare providers, which can significantly improve health outcomes.
This approach is especially beneficial for at-risk populations, such as those in rural communities, who often have limited access to in-person healthcare. Using platforms like Ursamin, they can manage their health remotely without the need to travel long distances for appointments.
As a society, we must recognize this rising trend of chronic health conditions among millennials and address it appropriately. Ensuring adequate preventative care, promoting health education, and leveraging digital health tools like Ursamin will be critical in changing this narrative and improving the overall health of this generation.
At Ursamin, we firmly believe that “people make better decisions and have better health outcomes when everybody has access to the same information in a shared database.” Thus, we aim to ensure this vision becomes a reality, one health record at a time.
Note: Stay tuned for our next discussion, where we continue to delve into the fascinating world of healthcare trends and digital health solutions. To ensure you don’t miss out, please like and subscribe.
