By Amen Galinato, CNN
A yearly physical is the standard preventive measure for adults, but many Gen Z patients are forgoing regular doctor appointments.
More than 1 in 4 young adults don’t have a primary care provider, according to a recent national survey by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
For Gen Zers who do have a physician, most skip scheduled checkups or don’t schedule them: Only 47% of 18- to 29-year-olds said they have had an annual wellness visit in the past year, according to the survey findings, released June 29.
Skipping doctor visits in early adulthood could have severe consequences, experts say, noting that missed prevention opportunities earlier in life can lead to greater chances of developing later-in-life diseases and conditions. In recent years, colorectal cancer rates have skyrocketed in younger adults, becoming the leading cause of cancer deaths for people younger than 50.
“An annual visit isn’t just about today’s health — it helps identify future risks, keeps preventive care on schedule and gives you a trusted clinician who knows your medical history and can help navigate health concerns, be they physical health or mental health concerns, as they arise,” said CNN wellness contributor Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University, in an email to CNN. Wen was not involved in the study.
Finding the right doctor for you
The poll queried 1,006 respondents across several age groups about their medical habits. Out of all the age groups, older adults were most likely to have a primary care doctor, with 97% of respondents age 65 and older saying they had a regular provider compared with 71% of younger adults.
Many Gen Zers instead turn to their local urgent care clinic for non-emergency-related health issues, with 36% looking first to an immediate care facility, the survey found. However, the doctor-patient relationship is essential to staying healthy.
There are lost opportunities “to build a relationship of trust with somebody who can potentially keep you out of the emergency room or help support you in ways that help maintain your health over the long-term,” said Dr. Russell Phillips, senior adviser on innovation in the primary care division of general medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Phillips was not involved in the survey.
Younger adults may be less worried about health risks than older generations, since they are generally less likely to develop age-associated diseases such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders.
But that doesn’t mean Gen Z and millennials aren’t at risk of developing severe diseases earlier in life.
“We lowered the age for routine colon cancer screening for everybody from 50 to 45, but that age can be even lower if our family history is more complex,” said family medicine physician Dr. Zachary Bittinger, a clinical assistant professor at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center who was not directly involved with the survey.
If the first doctor you see isn’t a good match, experts say that it’s perfectly acceptable to keep searching until you find one that you’re comfortable with.
“If we have an initial visit or two with