HomeGlobalInsightsGen Z: Future Patients, Present Priority Creating Connection with Important Health Consumers

Gen Z: Future Patients, Present Priority Creating Connection with Important Health Consumers

Date
January 16, 2025
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Written by Brenna Terry, Global Healthcare Client Leader

Young and newly independent health consumers understandably haven’t always been the highest priority audience target for the healthcare industry. This group is generally healthy and often feels "invincible.”

But since the pandemic, Gen Z’s perceptions about their own health (along with many other things post-pandemic) have changed dramatically. Burson is meeting the moment with new insights to help healthcare communicators better connect with this generation.

Burson’s recently released study of 5,000 adults (ages 18-27) across 10 countries, “Gen Z: Calling for Healthcare Connection and Change,” revealed a significant shift in this cohort’s concern for their health and revealed some unexpected truths.

Here are the key findings that challenged my own assumptions about this up-and-coming generation:

  • Physical and mental health go hand-in-hand: Contrary to coverage portraying Gen Z as mental health obsessives, our survey showed Gen Z caring as much about their physical health and mostly excited to take an active role.
  • Human connection is key: Despite being the first digital natives, Gen Z craves human connection over connectivity when it comes to matters of physical health – they want to be in the room with their doctor, to be heard and taken seriously.
  • ISO the facts: They aren’t easily susceptible to online or influencer-delivered health information – they are skeptical, conduct research and seek out the facts.
  • They want to hear from healthcare companies ... but you need to earn their attention: Gen Z believes that healthcare companies can meet the needs of their age group, but health communications need to reflect understanding of their generation.

We augmented our traditional survey findings with Decipher Health, Burson’s cognitive AI tool that is designed to optimize health communications impact and stakeholder engagement. Decipher Health analyzed a select set of our survey findings confirming the believability of these results with a simulated Gen Z population. It also allowed us to test the findings with simulated Millennials and Gen X populations. Again, contrary to popular perception, Gen Z shares many of the same frustrations and needs as older generations.

So, what are we waiting for?

This should be a wakeup call to healthcare communicators – let’s not wait until this generation enters the decades commonly marked by health declines. The earlier we can engage Gen Z with intention, the greater our ability to improve connection, engagement and, most importantly, human health.