Addressing the unprecedented behavioral-health challenges facing Generation Z

WRITTEN BY HIRA KHAN

Behavioral health challenges affect thousands of people worldwide.

It's no wonder two years after the event of the Covid-19 pandemic in the US, American Gen Zers ranging from middle school students to early professionals continue to hold a low positive life outlook than other age groups, as they show higher symptoms of anxiety, depression, and distress.

For this reason, US surgeon general Vivek Murthy issued a public health advisory on December 7, 2021, to address the "youth mental health crisis" heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Series of consumer surveys and interviews conducted by McKinsey revealed clear differences between generations, with findings revealing Gen Zers to have the least positive life outlook and lower rates of emotional and social well-being than older generations.

Specifically, 25% of Gen Z respondents (1 in 4 respondents) reported feeling more emotionally distressed, an average higher than the 13% rates of the millennial and Gen X respondents respectively and even triple that of the baby boomers respondents (8%).

The disheartening part, the Covid-19 pandemic has only intensified the situation. 

While consumer surveys may seem biased, since Gen Z is not the only generation to experience distress, every employer, educator, and public health leader needs to consider the sentiment of this emerging generation as they plan for the future.

Why? 

The survey conducted by McKinsey reveals that more than the Gen Xers or baby boomers, Gen Z respondents are more likely to have a behavioral-health condition (such as a mental or substance use disorder).

Likewise, a significant majority of Gen Z respondents (two to three times more than other generations) report thinking about, planning, and attempting suicide during the 12-month Covid-19 pandemic period spanning late 2019 to late 2020. 

Another notable finding revealed unmet social needs such as income, employment, education, food, housing, transportation, social support, and safety, linked to higher self-reported rates of behavioral-health conditions among Gen Z respondents.

In fact, according to a recent nationwide survey, 

"People with poor mental health were twice as likely as those with good mental health to report an unmet basic need, and four times as likely to have three or more unmet basic needs."

So, when it comes to meeting social needs, Gen Z respondents reported having the highest average, with 55% of Gen Z respondents reporting two or more unmet social needs, compared to the 16% of the older generation.

This has propelled American young adults to seek out holistic approaches to health to develop their resilience.

Characteristics of Gen Z consumers in the healthcare ecosystem

To meet the specific needs of Generation Z members and improve their behavioral healthcare, stakeholders will need to increase access to facilities and also provide appropriate, timely services.

This is because Gen Z showcases certain characteristics.

For instance, Gen Z members are less likely to seek help.

Photo by Anh Nguyen

According to the McKinsey report, Gen Z is 1.6 to 1.8 times more likely to report not seeking treatment for a behavioral-health condition than millennials due to factors like development stage, detachment from their healthcare, perceived affordability, and stigma associated with mental or substance use disorders within their families and communities.

But, when they do seek help, Gen Zers relies on emergency care, social media, and digital tools.

The survey also reveals that over the 12-month Covid-19 pandemic period, Gen Zer's are one to four times more likely to report using the ER, and two to three times more likely to report using crisis services or behavioral-health urgent care.

One Gen Z respondent expressed her frustration, saying, 

“Seems [like the] only option is an emergency room visit; otherwise, I have to wait weeks to see a psychiatrist.”

Many Gen Zers also reveal that their first step in managing behavioral-health challenges would be to visit TikTok or Reddit to seek advice, follow therapists on Instagram, or download relevant health information. 

Gen Z is less satisfied with the behavioral-health services they receive. 

Gen Zers believe the behavioral healthcare system as a whole fails to meet their expectations.

For one Gen Z respondent, the most significant challenge was, 

“Struggling to find a psychologist whom I was comfortable with and cared enough to remember my name and what we did the week before.”

The Mckinsey survey further revealed that when choosing a healthcare provider, Gen Zers preferred diversity. 

The Bottom Line

To improve the quality of care for people with behavioral health conditions, potential stakeholders, healthcare leaders, educators, and employers need to take a tailored generational approach.

This includes exploring emerging roles like telehealth trends, promoting mental-health literacy, investing in behavioral health at parity with physical health, and supporting a person-centered approach that embraces every aspect of health and wellness.◼︎