In its recently released Health of America Report® – “Millennial Health: Trends in Behavioral Health Conditions" – the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) takes an in-depth look at millennial health. Specifically, the report shows a sharp downward trend in the health of this population, which can be attributed to six behavioral health conditions: ADHD, tobacco use disorder, depression, substance use disorder, alcohol use disorder, and psychotic disorders.
The report looked at the health of 55 million Blue Cross Blue Shield members in the millennial age group (between the ages of 22-37 in 2018). These trends were revealed in the BCBSA’s 2019 report, and an additional year of data showed that millennial health continues to decline, with nearly one-third of millennials affected by behavioral health conditions. Specifically, that decline was driven by a 12% increase in major depression, 7% increase in alcohol use disorder, and 5% increase in tobacco use disorder and substance use disorder over the previous year.
From 2014-2018, the national increases in those six behavioral health conditions were even more pronounced (figures for Rhode Island for the same time period are in parentheses):
- Major depression – 43% increase (29%)
- ADHD – 39% increase (45%)
- Psychotic disorders – 26% increase (29%)
- Substance use disorder – 17% increase (16%)
- Tobacco use disorder – 10% increase (0%)
- Alcohol use disorder – 5% increase (5%)
The COVID-19 pandemic has also played a part in these findings. The data seems to indicate that millennials perceive a greater negative impact of COVID-19 than baby boomers (92% compared to 70%). And 80% of millennials believe that their mental health impacts their physical health, compared to 62% of baby boomers.
In addition, millennials with ongoing behavioral health conditions over the five-year study period were roughly twice as likely to have chronic physical conditions such as hypertension, Crohn’s disease/ulcerative colitis, Type II diabetes, and coronary artery disease.
So, what can be done? Blues plans are developing solutions to address the sharp increases in these behavioral health conditions, such as increased access to virtual care, including digital wellness platforms that target and address millennials’ unique health needs; increasing the availability of both medication-assisted and therapy-based treatments for members with opioid use disorder; programs to reduce the stigma around behavioral health, with an eye toward more accessible and affordable care; and using voice-enabled technology to provide a new way to easily access important healthcare services.
If you’re not familiar with the Health of America series, it’s a collaboration between the BCBSA and Blue Health Intelligence (BHI) that uses a market-leading claims database to uncover key trends and insights in healthcare affordability and access to care. Learn much more and read previous reports here.