Generation Z (those ages 13-24) have their own experiences and preferences when it comes to healthcare and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below are four things to know about the generation, as compiled from stories Becker's has published about these trends in the last six months:
1. Members of Gen Z feel the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult for them to pursue their educational or career goals, more so than millennials or Gen Xers, according to a poll released Dec. 6. The poll, conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research with funding from MTV, also found that Gen Z pointed to the pandemic as a significant source of stress that interferes with their social lives.
2. Among members of Gen Z, 35 percent reported frequently experiencing stress and 46 percent reported experiencing it sometimes, according to the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. Uncertainty about the pandemic was among the most common sources of stress for this generation, with 37 percent citing it as a major source.
3. Gen Z and millennials expect to retire before age 60 — the former at 59.4 and the latter at 59.5, according to research by Northwestern Mutual released Oct. 5. This compares to the average expected retirement age of 62.6.
4. A study based on data from national polls of 14- to 24-year-olds, taken via text message in October 2019 and October 2020, found that young people are willing to accept telemedicine services, but they still desire in-person options. The study, published in Telemedicine and E-Health, found that 49 percent of respondents who answered the survey in 2020 said they didn't feel virtual visits were as effective as in-person ones, 20 percent said they were equally effective, and 16 percent said it would depend on the situation.