Pandemic perspectives: 3 affected generations, 1 stark conclusion
Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers fall fairly close to one another in how they view several aspects of life with COVID. One in which the divide is wide: the desire for a “digital detox.”
The term refers to the exercise of staying away from smartphones and computers for some meaningful, presumably restorative, period of time.
More than half of Millennials feel the need for such a break vs. only 22% of Boomers.
Gen X lands between the two, albeit much closer to Millennials, at 45%.
The survey behind the findings was conducted online by healthinsurance.com, which publicized the project Aug. 17.
Around 1,600 people responded, and the company weighted the subgroup samples for even results from Millennials (ages 24 to 39), Gen X (ages 40 to 55) and Baby Boomers (ages 56 to 74).
Points on which the three demographics are more or less united in perspective on the pandemic include:
- More comfortable using telemedicine now than six months ago: 64% of Gen X, 59% of Baby Boomers and 58% of Millennials.
- Comfortable having temperature checked before entering an establishment: 90% of Boomers, 88% of Gen X and 83% of Millennials.
- Motivated to patronize small businesses during the economic downturn caused by the COVID crisis: 78% of Gen X, 77% of Boomers and 75% of Millennials.
If the youngest cohort of the three seems the most affected by the public health crisis, its members’ situational sensitivity may owe to their getting hit the hardest by financial insecurity.
Some 60% of Millennials say they’ve felt it (vs. 51% across the three), and 52% report they’ve put off medical care because of cost (vs. 37% of Boomers).
As for points of convergence, one blunt opinion arose over the state of U.S. healthcare itself. On this an eyebrow-raising 82% of all surveyed say our system is broken.
For more findings from healthinsurance.com, click here.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.