Millennial Health

Top 10 Millennial Health Problems

February 23, 2020 Dr. Jay-Sheree Allen Season 1 Episode 3
Millennial Health
Top 10 Millennial Health Problems
Show Notes Transcript
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) published a report in 2019 on the Health of Millennials
  • Millennials are people born between 1981 and 1996
    • Data not entire inclusive as it only includes 55 million commercially insured millennials
  • According to this BCBS Health Index Millennials as a group were living at about 95% of their optimal health
  • Which on first glance looks really good but a deeper dive showed that …
    • Older millennials (age 34-36) have higher prevalence rates for nearly all of the top 10 conditions than did Generation X members when they were in the same age range
    • Younger generations facing health challenges at earlier ages than previous generations.
    • The major decline in health, on average, begins at age 27

    • Of the top 10 conditions, 6 are behavioral health conditions and 4 are physical health conditions. 
  • The top 10 conditions are (Ranked by Adverse Health Impact):
  1. Major Depression
  2. Substance Use Disorder
  3. Alcohol Use Disorder
  4. Hypertension
  5. Hyperactivity
  6. Psychotic Conditions
  7. Crohn’s disease/Ulcerative colitis
  8. High Cholesterol
  9. Tobacco Use Disorder
  10. Type II Diabetes


speaker 0:   0:00
 So I'm taking some of my most important health messages and bringing them here to you on this podcast. So before launching this podcast, I wanted to learn a little more about the health issues that are affecting us as millennials. So I wanted to talk about a pretty interesting report that I came across from Blue Cross Blue Shield that was published last year in 2019. So, uh, Blue Cross Blue Shield, I think we think of it as like a health insurance company you know, is probably what comes to mind. But it's actually 36 independent and locally operated companies together underneath that umbrella, and they provide health insurance coverage for one in three Americans. They also have a major federal employee program as well, So the information they have access to is quite significant. But I'm more concern with our health right as millennials, and they actually had a report that looked a little more at our current health. And so those of us born between 1981 in 1996 are considered millennials. And so this report, which I will have in my show notes entitled The Health of Millennials, talked a little about the top 10 health conditions that they found. So they reported on 55 million commercially insured millennials. I think there are around 70 plus millennials in the United States. Or at least they were around the time that this study was done in 2017 and then published in 2019. So they're about 20 million of us that aren't being accounted for. Um, and that's just from data that's available rate. So we have to think of people who haven't been counted in the census. We also have to think of those of us who aren't commercially insured, right? This only looked at information from criminally commercially insured millennials, those of us who utilize at de Peces or direct primary care clinics, which are becoming increasingly popular. So we do have to take into account that this information it does not represent all of us, but it's a pretty decent starting point so I at least wanted to look in tow. What that said and share some of the findings with you. So there is a health index used by Blue Cross Blue Shield, and from this index, it's and millennials. As a group, we're living at about 95% of their optimal health, which on first glance looks really good. But then you take a deeper dive into what their report has found, and so older millennials. Of those 34 to 36 have a higher prevalence rates for nearly all of the top 10 conditions than our Gen Xers did when they were in that same age range. Which is pretty significant, you know, because now younger generations air facing health challenges at earlier ages than previous generations did. And they found that the major decline in health, on average, begins around age 27 or so is what they were able to find. So of the top 10 conditions, six are behavioral health conditions and four our physical health conditions, and so will go through Ah, quite a few of these. But I think they are worthy of their owns podcast episode, actually, and so my next podcast episode is going to be on depression because it is number one on this list. So the conditions were ranked by adverse health impact. Okay, so number one, major depression. This is quite significant, guys. And I'll talk a little more about this in my next podcast, too, because depression has now been declared the leading cause of disability worldwide by the World Health Organization, and it's now a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. You know, some of the stigma that is attached to mental health issues, I think are sometimes wrongfully oversimplified and, you know, attributed to certain groups or people live in certain countries or who are asserts, you know, who are afforded certain privileges. And that's not true. That's absolutely untrue. And so I really love the effort that the World Health Organization is making to draw attention to this on a global scale. Over 264 million people off all ages suffer from depression worldwide. These air significant numbers and though depression, you know it's different from your usual mood fluctuations or your short lived emotional responses to these challenges. You know, in everyday life we're talking about you know when long lasting effects come into play here, you know, at moderate or severe intensity. Depression truly does become a serious health condition. It affects your ability to function at work, to function at school, to function in your family and at its worst, you know, can lead to suicide. There over 800,000 people who lose their lives each year to suicide, you know, and even age group, I think 15 to 29 years of age suicide is now the leading, the second leading cause of death of people in that age group, you know, and the tail end of that are millennials in. So this is extremely important. The girl's number one. We're dedicating Ah, whole episode to that, um, next week because I think this is absolutely important and something we need to be talking a little more about. Every conversation does just a little to move the needle in the right direction to get people more comfortable expressing their emotions, talking about their feelings, and even those who have battled depression in the past and have gone into remission and are now doing extremely well. It also gives them a little more permission to speak honestly about their struggles and share their triumphs with others. So there goes number one on that list. So number two substance use disorder. This is definitely a big one, too. And this includes, like, the opioid crisis, for sure, which I hope you all have heard a lot about. I know this administration is currently doing a lot to draw awareness to this issue, and we continue to see this in in practice. And I know, certainly among our fellow mental lenya ls this is a major major issue. So substance use disorder number three alcohol use disorder is still high on the list. Guys, I think in at least the last, you know, 2 to 3 years alcohol has taken a back seat in terms of being in the media or people talking about it as much because of the opioid crisis. But I certainly don't want us to forget about the damage done to our bodies right by alcohol use disorder, or even to our Children, right before they're even born by moms who drink during pregnancy. So then that brings us to number four, which was hypertension. Like this is this is really guys. This, too, is totally gonna get an episode of its own because, believe it or not, we're not too young to have high blood pressure like we absolutely or not. And it's a real thing. They're true consequences. Right toe untreated hypertension for a number of years, totally worthy of its own episode. We'll talk about this, but I always encourage not just millennials but everyone to establish a relationship with a local physician. You need a primary care physician in your life. Okay? When you go in for your visit, whether that's annually or even if you're sick and you need to see someone, a few things will be done during the rooming process of your visit. One of those things is your blood pressure will be checked. You need to have ah ballpark idea of what your blood pressure looks like, right? If it's in the 1 20 is, it's typically the one thirties if you're in the one forties and above, that is too high. Um, but your doctor can give you the number that is ideal for you. All right, so whether you have chronic kidney disease or type two diabetes or, you know, depending on your history. The gold changes slightly, and so it's extremely important to talk to your doctor about what your gold blood pressure should be, but certainly an important number to know if you even just want to start somewhere. Most grocery stores and most pharmacies actually have, Ah, blood pressure machine. Not the greatest, not the best areas. One cup size and the cuffs. Eyes actually does need to correlate with your size, so it's not the most accurate, but it's a starting point. So if you have never been to the doctor, you don't know what your blood pressure looks like. The next time you go to the supermarket or you go to the pharmacy, just check it out so your arms should be exposed. So don't take it with like a big coat. I know it's winter at the time that I'm recording in releasing those five gas, so you gotta get your hand out of that coat. Please ensure that your feet are touching the ground. So no criss crossed legs, and then you shouldn't be talking to someone while your blood pressure is being checked. All right, so at least check that out. It's a decent place toe to start, but for sure Follow up with your doctor, then. Number five on this list, guys is hyperactivity. This is quite significant. I didn't I didn't expect to see this one so high on the list, actually for a millennial. So I am totally gonna do some more digging into this one, and we'll talk about this one for sure. Then Ah, Number six psychotic conditions. And so it looks like they then lumped the remainder of mental health conditions with psychotic features into one umbrella and call that number six psychotic conditions that will break apart a little too. You know, I think depression and generalized anxiety disorder rightfully so get a lot of, ah, publicity's e when we talk about the umbrella of mental health because they are the most common conditions. But there are quite a few other conditions that are under that. A mental health umbrella that I think we don't talk enough about. And so I'll try to do my part to ensure that we have more of those conversations as well, then number seven. So this is starting to go more into the physical conditions now. So Crone's disease and all sort of colliders. So these are inflammatory bowel diseases. And so, patients who have these you you know, you have these. You have established relationships with either your primary care of physician or a gastroenterologist who is helping to manage this. And this, by the way, is very different from I b s, right. You talk about I b s all the time irritable bowel syndrome. That's very different from an inflammatory bowel disease. Okay. And so that moving on to the list here they have high cholesterol as number aids. Guys, we've gotta work on these cholesterol levels here. So another good reason to establish care with a physician, right? Who manages your general health? Because one of the things they'll check for you is your cholesterol. And so a cholesterol or uncle, a lipid panel will include quite a few numbers, actually, And at our age, most of us don't need this annually or every two years. So definitely important to check in with your doctor to figure out the appropriate frequency of testing for you. But you at least want to know what these numbers look like. A vault part. So there will be a total cholesterol. Then you'll have a triangle. Lyssarides. Then you'll have the L. D. L. So that's the one we typically call the bad cholesterol. And then you have H D L. And that's the one that's typically referred to as your good cholesterol. All right, so it's a good idea. Thio. See where your numbers kind of stand just in conjunction with advice from your personal physician. Then guys number nine Tobacco use disorder. Quit smoking, quit smoking, quit smoking. Quit smoking. I can't say that one Enough. Quinn Smoking. Honestly, it's like keeping your body in just this like Constance T. Of inflammation. I mean, we're learning so much more now about many of these major diseases that affect us, you know, later in life and how inflammation contributes to these diseases. And not to mention, you know, the cancers that we already know about Asafa Geo cancer and lung cancer and black. Oh, yes, that's another thing, too. You know, I it's not just lung cancer. That cigarette use, you know, contributes to their so many other cancers, one that I have found people have a hard time believing is like cancer of a bladder. Believe it or not? Yes, those cigarette just are not your friends. They're not your friends. Secondhand smoke is also quite dangerous, so be wary of that. I know sometimes I get a lot of the Oh, but I don't smoke inside the house or I don't smoke around my kids or I don't You know that Smoke's fixed year clothing and you bring that into the house with you. Okay, so let's quit smoking, then. You know, in recent months, Vaping has also become quite an issue. It's not on this list here, but certainly another thing that I hope we've all gotten the memo now to Please, Please, please, please stop making. There's just so much that is unknown. You know, there's a lot that's known, and there's some awesome doctors out there who've put out really great videos explaining a lot of this. The CDC has awesome information out there. If you guys still let me talk about vaping, I'm more than willing to. But there's still so much that's just unknown, right? Because of the time that this has been studied. So please, please, please, please quit. Vaping. All right, the number 10 on this lists. I wonder what you guys think number 10 is on this list? I think by the time I got to the end of the list, I had a strong suspicion of what number 10 was because I didn't see it on the list yet. And just from clinical practice, I knew this one was in the top 10. Guys, this is type two diabetes type two diabetes. I was expecting them, at least put, like prediabetes or something. But no, they said type two diabetes. So this, too will also vey its own episode. Guys, we have to watch our level of physical activity, and we have to be mindful of the food that we're putting in our bodies. Right? These are two major major major contributors to us developing type two diabetes and guises. Millennials. Right? So, I mean, we're only looking at people here born between all this, this top 10 list. It's on Lee for people born between 1981 and 1996 like we are young guys were still really young. So I really want to help us to do our part to reverse some of these trends as much as we possibly can. But before anything can be changed. It has to be faced, these diseases and everything else in life, you know, So at least we have an idea of some of the major issues affecting us. I did say before and I'll say again, right? This is not a perfect list. This is from people were commercially insured. I mean, there's so many of us who aren't commercially insured. So many of us weren't accounted for in this data. So I do acknowledge the flaws with this information. But just as a place to start, right? So just quick. Recap a top 10 conditions affecting millennials and their health ranked by adverse health impact, major depression, substance use disorder, alcohol use disorder, hypertension, hyperactivity, psychotic conditions, Crone's disease and all sort of colitis. High cholesterol tobacco use disorder in type two diabetes. So, guys, we can totally totally work on changing these. So let's start with, ah, depression because six out of these 10 were behavioral health conditions or a affecting our mental health and our emotional well being. So let's tackle number one on the list next week. All right, so thank you all so much for joining me today just to review these top 10 conditions affecting our health. You know, my goal is to share some valuable information and draw awareness to some important health issues. But I encourage you to please consult your physician for personalized medical advice. I do. However, hold this information was beneficial to you, and it's so please subscribe and share with your friends. If you have questions or comments, feel free to reach our on instagram At your favor. Doctor friend. You know, I dabble on Twitter and Facebook, but really I'm on instagram. All right, bye, guys. We'll talk about depression next week.