Nearly 40 percent of Gen Z men don’t have a primary care provider

Millennials and adult Gen Zers were more likely to take care of their mental health than members of Gen X and baby boomers.

By Hannah Docter-Loeb

September 23, 2024 at 5:30 a.m. EDT

About 37 percent of Gen Z men in the United States do not have an established primary care provider, according to a recent survey from the Cleveland Clinic. The survey, conducted this summer, involved 1,000 American men 18 or older living in the continental United States.

Researchers assessed how different generations of men responded to questions about their health and health care, including whether they obtain yearly physicals, get screened based on doctors’ recommendations, and avoid smoking or vaping. The 37 percent of adult Gen Z men (born from 1997 through 2005) without a regular primary care provider compared with 27 percent of millennials (born from 1981 through 1996), 17 percent of Gen X respondents (1965 to 1980) and 7 percent of baby boomers and older (born before 1965).

Nearly all the respondents said living a healthy lifestyle was a top priority, and 87 percent were concerned about how their current health habits would affect their future health. Millennials and adult Gen Zers were more likely to take care of their mental health (59 percent) than Gen X and boomers (53 percent), according to the survey.

A third of Gen X and boomers eligible for cancer screening reported that they had not been screened or were unsure whether they had. Gen Z and millennials were not in the recommended age groups for screenings and were not asked about it.

The study also looked at reproductive and sexual health. Around half of all respondents had never been screened for sexually transmitted infections or diseases, or did not know whether they had received a screening.

When it came to seeking help for sexual health issues, such as performance, many men said they relied on an AI virtual assistant or social media for information. Gen Zers in particular were most likely to consult social media for their health needs.

This article was originally published by the Washington Post.