6 Common Health Concerns of Millennials

Alcohol

About 3–5 percent of young women are drinking more than seven drinks a week on a regular basis, considered heavy drinking, according to Millennialmarketing.com. Businesswire.com says that 6 percent of millenial women are drinking too much alcohol several times a week. About 44 percent of millenials in college have a problem with binge drinking, reported onlinemshidegree.adelphi.edu. Every year, approximately 1700 college students die from alcohol consumption. The DSM-IV's alcohol abuse criteria fits almost one-third of college students. Sources: Millennials: Are They Healthier than Earlier Generations? http://www.millennialmarketing.com/2009/12/millennials-are-they-healthier-than-earlier-generations 1,000 Millennials Surveyed on Medication, Healthcare Reform and Wellness http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100201006251/en/U.S.-Millennials-Healthy-Bad-Habits-Lead-Chronic#.VL8E-kfF-LY Millenials and Health Care http://onlinemshidegree.adelphi.edu/resources/articles/millennials-and-health-care Auremar/PhotoSpin

Health Insurance

Young people are allowed coverage on their parents' insurance plans till they are 26 years old. According to Onlinemshidegree.adelphi.edu, more of this age group have insurance because of this. This is good since many of them would not be able to afford coverage on their own due to significant debt loads and jobs which are below par in terms of hours and pay. This age group, millennialmarketing.com reported, has health insurance less often than other groups, and has difficulty in achieving access to health care. Sources: Millenials and Health Care http://onlinemshidegree.adelphi.edu/resources/articles/millennials-and-health-care Millennials: Are They Healthier than Earlier Generations? http://www.millennialmarketing.com/2009/12/millennials-are-they-healthier-than-earlier-generations Lev Dolgachov/PhotoSpin

Mental Health

About 7 percent of those between 20 and 29 years old have been identified as suffering from major depression in a 12-month period. In this age group, 9 percent deal with generalized anxiety disorder, major depression or panic disorder in that time frame. About 28 percent of millenials are on medication, and of this group 23 percent are taking antidepressants. Stress contributes to the occurrence of many illnesses, including depression and heart disease. Sources: Millennials: Are They Healthier than Earlier Generations? http://www.millennialmarketing.com/2009/12/millennials-are-they-healthier-than-earlier-generations 1,000 Millennials Surveyed on Medication, Healthcare Reform and Wellness http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100201006251/en/U.S.-Millennials-Healthy-Bad-Habits-Lead-Chronic#.VL8E-kfF-LY Millenials and Health Care http://onlinemshidegree.adelphi.edu/resources/articles/millennials-and-health-care Kristina Afanasyeva/PhotoSpin

Obesity

Obesity affects one-third of millenials, which is a higher rate than their parents deal with. These young people are at higher risk for breathing problems, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. Millenials are more likely to eat snacks than regular meals. About 58 percent report eating junk food and drinking soda frequently. Sources: Millenials and Health Care http://onlinemshidegree.adelphi.edu/resources/articles/millennials-and-health-care 1,000 Millennials Surveyed on Medication, Healthcare Reform and Wellness http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100201006251/en/U.S.-Millennials-Healthy-Bad-Habits-Lead-Chronic#.VL8E-kfF-LY Arina Zaiachin/PhotoSpin

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Among women 20-24 years of age, 45 percent have tested positive for HPV. About 25 percent of teens will get a sexually transmitted infection or disease every year. About 50 percent of those who are sexually active could get an STI or STD by the time they are 25 years old. Sources: The Rise of STDs Among Millennials http://millennialmagazine.com/the-rise-of-stds-among-millennials Auremar/PhotoSpin

Smoking

Among young adults in 2006, almost 30 percent were smoking cigarettes according to Millenialmarketing.com. Businesswire.com reported that 17 percent were frequent smokers. Sources: Millennials: Are They Healthier than Earlier Generations? http://www.millennialmarketing.com/2009/12/millennials-are-they-healthier-than-earlier-generations 1,000 Millennials Surveyed on Medication, Healthcare Reform and Wellness http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100201006251/en/U.S.-Millennials-Healthy-Bad-Habits-Lead-Chronic#.VL8E-kfF-LY MonkeyBusiness Images /PhotoSpin