millennials research articles

The release of the Millennial Impact Report: 10 Years Looking Back  celebrates over a decade of research the Case Foundation led focused on increasing our understanding of how millennials connect, give and involve themselves with social and political causes. More than ten years ago, millennials were branded as “Generation Q”–a quiet, inactive, insular group that did not engage with social causes and were often considered self-centered, lazy and too concerned with their devices to think about anyone else. Yet, as a parent of millennials and with a staff largely comprised of engaged members of the generation, this stereotype didn’t ring true. Wasn’t this also the generation that brought us game-changing companies like Airbnb, Instagram and Lyft, and helping to power movements like Giving Tuesday? It was clear we needed to take action to search for ways to ensure that this 80 million strong cohort could be motivated to make a positive impact on the world. 

With this in mind, we launched the Millennial Impact Project to learn more about this generation and how they thought about doing good. Together with our partners at Achieve, we surveyed more than 150,000 millennials over the decade, generating one of the most robust data sets on millennials to date. The release of today’s report is the culmination of this decade-long focus on millennials and their attitudes toward social change. 

We learned a lot. In particular, we found that millennials are thinking, acting and living their lives like no other generation before them, bringing a more holistic approach to using their time and resources to make a difference. They think about making change across a continuum from the purchasing decisions they make at the supermarket to the petitions they support on social media and the social good opportunities they incorporate into their work. And, in a counterpoint to the “Generation Q” stereotype that sparked the Case Foundation’s interest in learning more about this impactful generation, the research shows a commitment to partnerships and working together, with respondents saying they are more likely to donate if a coworker asks, more likely to volunteer if a coworker also is volunteering.  Indeed such as in movement-building, they see their actions, even if they are small, having an impact if they are in concert with a larger active group. These changes in behavior and the breaking down of traditional barriers, coupled with the technological tools that are commonplace, requires everyone–from the social sector seeking their donations, to employers who want to attract and retain talent, and companies that count on millennial consumers to purchase their products–to be nimble, curious and constantly open to revising and improving approaches. As I said when we released our 2014 report on millennials in the workplace, “ Millennials are in the business of doing good .”

After a decade of research on millennials, it is clear that the generation is not a monolith, with many different groups in different stages of life, coming from wide-ranging of points of view and interests in activism. And it is important to remember that the oldest millennials are now coming up on 40 — a good reminder that the oldest segment of this generation is raising families now, owning homes and building serious careers. One of the key learnings we take away from this work is to be very wary of those who seek to characterize all of the sentiments and intentions of a generation of over 80 million individuals, particularly with the millennial generation, in a few broad statements or phrases. With that in mind, the decade of research the Case Foundation has led provides important insights into how many in the generation view social change and can provide key guidance to those–millennial or not–who want to engage more people in their efforts to make an impact on the world. Here are a few of the key takeaways:

• Millennials Believe All Assets are Equal:  They believe their time, skills, talent, money, voice, purchasing power and ability to network all have equal value, and they offer them as such. This generation does not prize being a financial donor above being a volunteer or activating their peer network as more valuable than signing a petition. When they are inspired to do something, they see their behavior (no matter what it is) as significant support.
• Millennials are Passionate About Issues, Not Institutions:  “Millennial donors are not committed to one single organization; they are more committed to a cause,” according to Justin Wheeler, Funraise CEO. “So, their loyalty is to an issue they care about or are passionate about. And whether they give money or volunteer, it’s not necessarily directed at one organization.” More than 90 percent of millennials said they would stop giving to an organization if they began distrusting it. In a reflection of that trust, more than three-fourths would stop giving if they aren’t told how their contributions help.
• Millennials are Influenced by Their Peers:  This trend has been seen across many years of our millennial research as millennials have consistently reported that they often invite friends to join their volunteer and fundraising efforts and are more likely to engage in a cause if their peers are already participating.
• Millennials Support the Greater Good, Not Partisan Politicking:  Millennials are both empathetic to the needs of others and discontented with the status quo. They want situations and conditions that are worsening peoples’ lives to be fixed, but they distrust the government to address social ills effectively. In particular, they expressed no trust at all in the government’s ability to address key social issues like poverty (33%), race and culture (32%) and student loans (30%). Millennials are also impatient with bipartisanship and politicking–a major reason they are developing their own ways to inspire and affect public policy change.
• Millennials Believe in Activism:  While millennials often come to activism from a different starting point, they continue to believe in tools of traditional activism, such as voting, petitions, protests and marches. In 2017, voting topped the list of the most actions taken by millennials and the action they deemed most likely to be influential; 71 percent responded with voting as activism.
• Millennials Believe All Actions Matter–Big and Small:  Millennials have engaged in causes back and forth across the spectrum–some remain at the micro-level of involvement, some move to leadership roles and many move within the space in between. One significant, unique notion supported by 10 years of research is that millennials acting in small ways individually often create leverage as a large, active group capable of influencing great change.

As you can see, many of our findings show that millennials are not just trying to change the world, they are actually changing the way that social change is made. Some of these changes may make traditional players uneasy and raise questions about effectiveness, but by acting as force multipliers for the world of cause engagement and social good, and by matching their actions with the times, millennials are changing the communities around them. The nonprofits and companies that successfully engage this group and respond effectively to this new way of pushing for social change will ultimately be better positioned to harness the energy and passion of this large generation. We hope that the summary of insights that we have learned over the past decade will help leaders from all generations work together to make a real impact. You can read the full report  here .

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Young people are drinking less – here’s an alternative to try on your next night out

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China: the rise of gen Z will have massive consequences for business and politics

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What explained the seismic 2022 federal election? The Australian Election Study has answers

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The housing game has changed – interest rate hikes hurt more than before

Joey Moloney , Grattan Institute and Brendan Coates , Grattan Institute

Hook-ups , pansexuals and holy connection: love in the time of millennials and Generation Z

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Burnout Among the Millennial Generation Working Within a Helping Field

• Published: 01 October 2023
• Volume 27 , pages 283–303, ( 2023 )

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• DeAvila S. Ford   ORCID: orcid.org/0009-0003-8658-5985 1  

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Millennials are the burnout generation. To understand the multiple components connected to burnout in the millennial generation, specifically those working in a helping field, and how to combat burnout symptoms, the researcher interviewed eight participants in various careers. A qualitative, phenomenological research design was utilized through a Zoom interview of ten questions. The interviews were employed to gather data regarding the millennials’ perception of their experience with burnout, how they felt generation plays a role in the onset, and the self-care techniques they utilize to decrease symptoms. The study found that each participant felt they had experienced burnout and connected the experience to the pressure of growing up as a millennial and the high demands of their respective careers. Multiple resources for combatting burnout symptoms were identified, including decreased work demands, more flexibility, and the ability to change schedules.

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11 Facts about the Millennial Generation

Fred dews fred dews managing editor, new digital products - office of communications @publichistory.

June 2, 2014

Millennials, those born between 1982 and 2003, are “a cohort whose dominating presence will make its behaviors the major motif of American life in the next decade,” write the authors of a new paper, “ How Millennials Could Upend Wall Street and Corporate America .” Morley Winograd , a senior fellow at USC’s Annenberg School Center on Communications and Leadership Policy, and Michael Hais , former VP for entertainment research at Frank N. Magid Associates, present new findings about how members of the Millennial generation view banking, finance and corporate America. Here is a sample of some of their key facts about this generation:

• Millennials will comprise more than one in three of adult Americans by 2020.
• Millennials will make up as much as 75% of the U.S. workforce by 2025.
• 89% expressed a stronger likelihood that they would buy from companies that supported solutions to specific social issues. (1a)
• Millennials account for more than $1 trillion in U.S. consumer spending. (1b)
• 87.5% of Millennials disagreed with the statement that “money is the best measure of success,” compared to about 78% of the total population. (2)
• The top ideal employers of currently employed Millennials are Google, Apple, Facebook, the U.S. State Department, and Disney. Five of the top 15 most ideal employers are government agencies (State Dept., FBI, CIA, NASA, and Peace Corps). (3)
• 63% of Millennials want their employer to contribute to social or ethical causes they felt were important. About half of older Gen Xers and Boomers felt the same. (4)
• 64% of Millennials would rather make $40,000/year at a job they love than $100,000/year at a job they think is boring. (5)
• 19% of Millennials agreed with the statement, “most people can be trusted.” This compares to 31% of Gen Xers, 37% of the Silent Generation (those born during the Great Depression and World War II), and 40% of Boomers. (6)
• 83% of Millennials agreed with the statement, “there is too much power concentrated in the hands of a few big companies,” more than all other generations. (7)
• The average investor aged 21 to 36 has 52% of their savings in cash, compared to 23% for other age groups. (8)

“So far,” write the authors, “this generationally-driven shift has had the most impact in endeavors such as entertainment and politics which are particularly susceptible to the influence of younger participants. But now, as the generation enters young adulthood,

the force of the changes they are capable of creating is beginning to be felt in all sectors of America’s economy. The initial tremors are already changing consumer markets and forcing corporations to change their workplace practices. But soon, as Millennials become an increasingly large share of the adult population and gather more and more wealth, the generation’s size and unity of belief will cause seismic shifts in the nation’s financial sector, shaking it to its very foundations and leading to major changes in the nation’s board rooms. As Millennials become CEOs, or determine the fate of those who are, they will change the purpose and priorities of companies in order to bring their strategies into alignment with the generation’s values and beliefs.  

Download and read the paper here .

(1a-b) Cone Communications Social Impact Study of 1,200+ U.S. adults (October 2013) (2) From Spend Shift by John Gerzema and Michael D’Antonio (2011) (3) Universum survey (2011) (4) LifeCourse research on the workforce (2012) (5) Intelligence Group study, reported in The Columbus Dispatch (3/30/14) (6) Pew Research Center (3/7/14) (7) The Boston Globe (3/9/14) (8) UBS (2014)

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Millennials stand out for their technology use, but older generations also embrace digital life.

Our approach to generational analysis has evolved to incorporate new considerations. Learn more about  how we currently report on generations , and read  tips for consuming generations research .

Millennials have often led older Americans in their adoption and use of technology, and this largely holds true today. But there has been significant growth in tech adoption since 2012 among older generations – particularly Gen Xers and Baby Boomers.

More than nine-in-ten Millennials (93% of those who turn ages 23 to 38 this year ) own smartphones, compared with 90% of Gen Xers (those ages 39 to 54 this year), 68% of Baby Boomers (ages 55 to 73) and 40% of the Silent Generation (74 to 91), according to a new analysis of a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted in early 2019.

Unlike with smartphones and social media, tablet ownership is now comparable across most generations. Today, 55% of Gen Xers, 53% of Millennials and 52% of Boomers say they own tablets. A smaller share of Silents (33%) report owning tablets.

Those in the Silent Generation also lag when it comes to having broadband service at home. Whereas most Millennials (78%), Gen Xers (78%) and Boomers (74%) say they subscribe to home broadband, fewer than half of Silents (45%) say this.

Almost all Millennials (nearly 100%) now say they use the internet, and 19% of them are smartphone-only internet users – that is, they own a smartphone but do not have broadband internet service at home. Large shares of Gen Xers (91%) and Boomers (85%) use the internet, compared with just 62% of Silents. When it comes to smartphone-only internet users, 17% of Gen Xers go online primarily via a smartphone, as do 11% of Boomers and 15% of Silents.

Baby Boomers continue to trail both Gen Xers and Millennials on most measures of technology adoption, but adoption rates for this group have been growing rapidly in recent years. For example, Boomers are now far more likely to own a smartphone than they were in 2011 (68% now vs. 25% then).

Although Boomers have been adopting a range of technologies in recent years, members of the Silent Generation are less likely to have done so. Four-in-ten Silents (40%) report owning a smartphone, and fewer (33%) indicate that they have a tablet computer or use social media (28%). Previous Pew Research Center surveys have found that the oldest adults face some unique barriers to adopting new technologies – from a lack of confidence in using new technologies to physical challenges manipulating various devices.

While generations differ in their use of various technologies, a  2018 Center survey  found that younger internet users also were more likely than older Americans who use the internet to say the internet has had a positive impact on  society:  73% of online Millennials said the internet has been mostly a good thing for society, compared with 63% of users in the Silent Generation.

Americans were also less positive about the societal impact of the internet last year than four years earlier. Gen Xers’ views of the internet’s impact on society declined the most in that time. In 2014, 80% of Gen X internet users believed the internet had been mostly a positive thing for society, a number that dropped to 69% in 2018. Millennial and Silent internet users were also somewhat less optimistic last year than in 2014.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published May 2, 2018, and written by Jingjing Jiang, a former research analyst focusing on internet and technology. See full topline results and methodology here .

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Millennials are exhausted by working more for less

Readers respond to an article about quitting the rat race, with some saying their generation was handed an untenable position and others saying the struggle is nothing new

I can understand the disillusion expressed in Leila Latif’s article ( The soft life: why millennials are quitting the rat race, 2 April ). We’re conditioned to compete academically and then are turned into a world of work where the reality is a painful shock to the system. Many are robbed of our highfalutin dreams fast. The lucky few will find genuinely fulfilling work with remuneration to match.

It’s easy to work like a possessed being when you enjoy what you do and are purpose-driven. Working long hours, often unpaid, is an act of altruism that keeps the public sector afloat, as any clinician or teacher will confirm. It is much harder to sustain this in a role that you don’t enjoy, or that doesn’t align with your values: dissonance is destructive and the suffering will be your own.

At a recent social event, I was greeted by an old acquaintance with “What are you doing these days?” The question was designed to elicit professional and material status. Understanding that my actual wellbeing counted for naught, my answer was polite but suitably inane. Middle age brings cutting insight: I set my own benchmark of achievement.

The aeroplane oxygen mask theory applies: it is not soft to look after yourself, it is smart. I for one am heartened that some in the next generation are finally putting themselves first. Yielding to societal expectations of conventional ambition doesn’t bring happiness; could trading the rat race for an alternative be the answer?

A basic income model might just allow people to play to their strengths and use their time for the greater good before market forces prevail. But at least no one would go hungry. Mona Sood Southend-on-Sea, Essex

Rose Gardner’s story as a millennial who quit the London‑mortgage-career rat race hit exactly on my dilemma. I just finished a PhD in macroeconomics and public policy at the University of Leeds, getting to spend a luxurious four years near my Yorkshire family, living the Yorkshire life with country air and space on my doorstep. But now that I have a doctorate, and am mid-career with a decade of policy experience, the relevant jobs are all in London.

I am fortunate in being at a (relatively) decent pay level, even in the public sector with its decades of pay stagnation. So I can avoid the rabbit-hutch-style shared housing, which was almost bearable as a sociable twentysomething but would crush my sanity now as a 35-year-old. But do I want to spend the next three decades working only to pay the mind-boggling mortgage on a tiny flat in the Big Smoke?

Living with parents isn’t ideal, but a part-time barista job in a cosy market town, with not a single work email boring into my soul every hour of the day and night, feels much more conducive to my wellbeing. Rose’s story makes me think a trip to the local dog rescue shelter may be the deal-breaker. Dr Caroline Bentham Wetherby, West Yorkshire

Your article put to words the overwhelming fatigue of treading water. Millennials have been handed an untenable position, with adversaries citing avocado toast and a poor work ethic as symptoms of a failing generation. The piece engaged with those who played the game at an elite level and who are worn down by it. Understandably so.

Most of us are not CEOs or highly paid executives, but pressures have infiltrated spheres beyond that of work. We need only look at key workers using food banks and birthrates in decline. Our generation expected that we could work an honest job and afford to live, but that is simply not the case. We now live precariously and there is no margin for risks or errors.

“Soft” has become a shorthand for entitlement, but what is entitled in the expectation that working should afford you the basic costs of living? Twice I have been hidden homeless while working at full capacity; and my last landlord was legally allowed to raise rents from £600 a head to £900, with no maintenance or material changes to the property.

We are the generation told to work more for less, and when we physically have no more left to give, we are made to feel that we are the problem.

I now work in accessibility, with those who are chronically ill, for whom soft living is not a choice but a means to sustain life. While a softer life is not available to me at present, I work with people to set those boundaries in work and other spaces. These people grieve their past selves and I see no entitlement in that. Soft is by no mean easy, and it is often misunderstood. Lara Marshall Brighton

I have to say I do not think this concept (of a soft life) is anything new. As a Gen X-er, I did this in the early 2000s, when I gave up my highly paid but stressful full-time job to work part-time as a receptionist in the mornings so that I could work on my art in the afternoons. I took a hefty pay whack, but I had planned for it, and without doubt it was the right thing to do and I have never regretted this choice.

Creative people have often lived this way. Charles Bukowski wrote his novel Post Office in 1971, which detailed his morning job as a mail carrier that allowed him the freedom to write, drink and bet on the horses for the rest of the day. And you also have Jack Kerouac and the Beat Generation, heralding an entire movement who chose to drop out and tune in. I do wish millennials would stop thinking their generation invented the wheel. Emma Durand Charenton le Pont, France

What a lovely middle-class story. For those of us who didn’t have all the advantages listed in this article, the option of leaving a hated job and going back to live in mum and dad’s beautiful home was not there. We had to work for 44 years to afford a decent standard of living and a home. For the millions of people who have nothing in this country, this article is not aspirational – it’s irrelevant and insensitive. Ruth Rosenthal London

What saddens me about this account of millennials is that it appeared to present a choice between working hard for money and power or opting out to please yourself – and not so much about finding what was truly meaningful and making a worthwhile contribution to the community. Whereas I have myself felt truly inspired to know bright and able younger people who have chosen, for example, to work on the land, growing food sustainably; in “organic arts”; in ecologically based construction; or in various forms of education, social or community work.

However, I do acknowledge that quitting a high-flying job is an act of courage, and giving time to self, to art and to family in chosen ways is authentic and worthwhile. I wish these millennials well. Margaret Turner Exeter

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• Report: Consumers Are Taking Health And Wellness Matters Into Their Own Hands
• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, Yesterday

The wellness market in the U.S. is worth $480 billion and is expected to grow 5% to 10% annually, according to a new report from Stagwell’s Assembly. 

According to the report consumers are taking health and wellness matters into their own hands more than ever before. 

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Case in point: the report cites research finding that that 71% of Gen Z and Millennials sometimes turn to social media to self-diagnose conditions instead of seeking out a healthcare professional. 

It also cites research finding that 71% of Americans express interest in taking a microbiome test to get personalized diet recommendations. 

Health and wellness communities can elevate the media’s role, per the report. “Communities that are built on empathy, acceptance, and collective wellness needs make marketers and brands connectors and advocates, providing a pathway to a higher quality ROI.” 

Find the full report here . 

Staff Writer

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Column: The boomer versus millennial grudge match is silly

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At a recent family dinner, various younger relatives were talking about music streaming services and began to wonder aloud whether Pandora was still around. They, of course, use Spotify.

“Ask Mom,” said my 31-year-old millennial daughter.

“Yeah, Pandora is still around,” I said. “I use it all the time.”

Was their muffled laughter tinged with soupcon of condescension?

Listen, I was just grateful no one said, “OK Boomer.”

Opinion Columnist

Robin Abcarian

Certainly, we are on opposite sides of a generation gap. If I weren’t raising my 14-year-old niece, I would have no idea what “gyat” means, and would probably not know the lyrics to Paul Russell’s infectious “Lil Boo Thang.”

Objectively, I know I am aging.

But because I am a boomer, I can’t bring myself to say, “I am old.”

My father, who died three years ago at 91, was my model for what “old” looks like. He slowed down, but he never stopped, even when I wished he would. For example, by the time he turned 90, I thought he should relinquish the car keys. But he insisted that his macular degeneration was no impediment because driving was a matter of “muscle memory.”

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In so many ways, though, he defied the idea that generations can be stereotyped simply by dint of a birth year.

He was technically a member of the silent generation (1928-1945), but he was a college professor, always interacting with younger people, super political and anything but quiet. An early adopter of all kinds of technology, my dad had the first Mac, the first iPod, even the first Walkman in our family. He used BitTorrent to download movies, and he talked about “seeders” and “feeders.” He was delighted when he received a letter from the FBI warning him to stop using the Pirate Bay to illegally download movies or face legal consequences. “Oh yeah, like they’re really gonna put an old man like me away,” he scoffed.

And yet, as tech savvy as he could be, when he’d make a call on his iPhone, he would jab at the screen as if he were punching numbers into a push-button phone.

He and my mother produced four baby boomers, born between 1953 and 1960. And the four of us gave our parents six millennial grandchildren, born between 1981 and 2000.

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I’ll take all the help I can get prying the smartphone out of my 13-year-old niece’s messy orange hands.

March 17, 2024

Do we conform to stereotypes about our generations? I don’t think so.

Our parents were working and/or distracted by the arrival of a more liberated, less strait-laced era than they’d come of age in. So my cohort of boomers essentially had free-range childhoods. When we were 11, my best friend and I secretly hitchhiked up PCH from Leo Carrillo State Park, where we were camping with her parents, to County Line Beach. By contrast, I rarely let my millennial daughter out of my sight until she was in high school. The thought of her climbing into a car with a stranger gives me a stomachache. (She assures me she never has.)

Boomers have promoted a caricature of millennials as having a weak work ethic, being emotionally fragile and spending too much money on avocado toast when they should be saving for a down payment on a house. But those are risible generalizations. Millennials have boundaries. They can talk about their feelings. We boomer parents taught them those things. And when you take into account today’s staggeringly high home prices, the shortage of affordable housing and the phenomenon of retiring boomers who don’t see a benefit to downsizing , which would free up more housing stock for younger families, the avocado toast fallacy is revealed for what it is: generation trashing.

Millennials and their slightly older forebears in Generation X (1965-1980) can indeed come off as embittered at times — angry about what they perceive as the shortcomings, entitlement and youth obsession of their parents’ — of my — generation.

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Feb. 27, 2024

“God forbid any generation younger than the boomers gets the spotlight once in a while,” wrote a user named ChemicalPrimary5775 on Reddit, my social media guilty pleasure. The comment was posted in a discussion group called “Boomers Being Fools,” which drips with generational antagonism.

“A lot of boomers are in a state of undiagnosed pre-dementia,” wrote WombatIsAngry, which actually made me LOL because yes, the oldest boomers are approaching 80, so that’s probably an accurate observation.

“Other than those who served in Vietnam,” wrote direwolf2368, boomers “experienced very little adversity. In short, they were people of privilege from the start & at a certain point saw no reason to pretend they were anything else.”

And don’t even get millennials started on tech-challenged boomer colleagues.

“Why are boomers so bad at using computers in the workplace, when they’re the generation that invented office software and have had far longer to use it than the rest of us?” wrote another Redditor.

When the pandemic hit, some millennials took to calling COVID-19 the “Boomer Remover.” That, wrote a Financial Times columnist, “may reflect the general lack of empathy in society these days, but it may also mirror the free-floating political anger that the current generation has for their elders.”

Isn’t the current generation always angry with their elders?

I mean, if you can’t blame your parents’ generation for the stuff that’s wrong with your life, are you even alive?

@robinkabcarian

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Robin Abcarian is an opinion columnist at the Los Angeles Times. She writes about news, politics and culture. Her columns appear on Wednesday and Sunday. Twitter: @AbcarianLAT

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Millennial Parents Embrace Gentle Parenting and Mental Health Talks, Breaking Generational Patterns

T he terrain of family life has been fundamentally reshaped by millennial parents, who, according to recent studies, believe they are surpassing previous generations in their parenting methods. The survey of 1,000 millennial parents (aged 28-43) carried out by Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago revealed that 88% think their parenting approach differs from how they were raised, and 73% think they are doing a better job than their parents did.

Millennials are turning away from authoritarian models that dominated their childhoods, gravitating instead towards ‘gentle parenting.’ An impressive 74% are adopting this style, which emphasizes guiding children through decision-making without imposing stringent demands and rules. This approach is markedly different from past parenting paradigms that often relied on strict discipline. Gentle parenting encourages open communication, nurturing a child’s emotional intelligence and fostering mutual respect.

However, embracing this style does not mean a lack of structure or boundaries. It is often misunderstood, leading to confusion between gentle and permissive parenting. Experts clarify that gentle parenting effectively combines warmth with discipline, paving the way for children to thrive within a nurturing yet structured environment. Millennial parents seem to be seeking that balance, steering clear of the either-or trap of authoritarian strictness or permissive laxity.

The influence of social media in shaping these new parenting paradigms is significant, albeit double-edged. While 24% of millennial parents source parenting advice from social platforms, there is a caveat; a quarter of them do not scrutinize the credibility of this information. The poll reveals an overwhelming 85% of millennial parents are feeling the heat of unrealistic parenting expectations fomented by social media. Furthermore, the comparison trap ensnares many, with 30% of millennial mothers measuring their parenting against others online.

This generation is also pioneering discussions around mental health with their children, signaling a generational shift in openness and awareness. About 80% of millennial parents prioritize conversations about mental health and emotional well-being, understanding their role in their child’s development. This is in stark contrast to two-thirds of millennials who report a lack of such dialogue with their parents during their upbringing.

Despite the challenges that come with navigating parenting in the digital age, and the pressures to achieve perfection, millennial parents are more present with their offspring than previous generations. Seventy-seven percent believe they are more engaged, and a significant 82% juggle work commitments while prioritizing their children’s needs over career advancement. The pursuit of this balance, however, is not without its tribulations, with a notable 58% struggling to reconcile work and family life.

In conclusion, millennial parenting styles are characterized by a fundamental shift towards emotional intelligence, mental health awareness, and a flexible, yet structured approach to child-rearing. This generation of parents is steering away from the practices of their predecessors, hoping to nurture well-rounded, resilient, and emotionally healthy children. While the journey is marred by new-age challenges and societal pressures, the intention to break generational cycles and embrace a more enlightened path in parenting is clear. As this generation navigates the complexities of modern parenthood, they are writing a new chapter in the annals of family life.

Relevant articles:

– 73% of millennials believe they are doing a better job of raising kids than their own parents, new research shows – here are 4 things they’re doing differently

– Millennials Think They’re the Best Parents , Parents, Fri, 22 Mar 2024 17:24:15 GMT

– 3 Big Ways Millennial Parents Are Raising Their Children Differently , Yahoo Singapore News, Fri, 22 Mar 2024 20:15:02 GMT

– 3 Big Ways Millennial Parents Are Raising Their Children Differently , HuffPost UK, Fri, 22 Mar 2024 13:46:50 GMT

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Millennials Seeking Healthcare: Examining the Degree to Which Patients Utilize Online Resources

Landon c. arensberg.

1 University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS

Jessica Kalender-Rich

2 Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

3 Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

Jaehoon Lee

4 Department of Educational Psychology, Leadership & Counseling, Texas Tech University College of Education, Lubbock, TX

Cheryl A. Gibson

Introduction.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, a Silver Tsunami is looming, with more than 75.4 million persons aged 57 to 75 expected to need more costly medical care. However, a larger wave of 83.1 million Millennials nearing adulthood is approaching rapidly. Therefore, it is important to understand how this population finds their physician and what may influence this decision.

Paper-based surveys were administered to adult patients at primary care and geriatric clinics located at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas. Questions included demographic information, utilization and influence of online reviews, and the effects negative and positive reviews have on a patient’s choice of physician. Descriptive statistics were calculated for respondent characteristics and survey responses. Chi-square and McNemar’s tests were performed to evaluate differences between age and gender groups, and to determine how influential review ratings are in choosing a physician for medical care. Statistical significance was determined at the 0.05 level.

A sample of 284 patients completed the survey (44.35 ± 17.54 years old [range = 18–90], 60.6% female, 57.4% white). Of Millennials, 67.2% read online reviews before choosing a physician. Millennials were significantly more likely to read online reviews before choosing a physician (p = 0.004) and utilize online resources to search for a new physician (p < 0.001) than older patients.

Conclusions

Millennials were more likely to research online reviews before choosing a physician. Therefore, an online review presence will be beneficial to one’s practice to acquire this new wave of patients.

INTRODUCTION

Many are concerned about the “Silver Tsunami”, an expected increase in healthcare spending due to a large portion of the population living longer and, as such, expected to cost more to treat. 1 According to the U.S. Census, there is an estimated 73 million individuals aged 57 to 75 years old who are likely to require this higher acuity of care. 2 However, a much larger wave of patients is fast approaching with 83.1 million individuals, Millennials, the largest living generation, accounting for nearly 10 million more individuals than the Baby Boomer generation. At the age of 26, Millennials will be required to purchase their own health insurance as current health policy permits dependents of family insurance plans up to this age. 3 As many Millennials are approaching this age limit, they are beginning to interact with the medical field independently for the first time in their lives. Patients are reliant and overall trusting of internet resources, so one might expect the next generation to turn first to their smartphone when navigating their healthcare. 4 Further, patients may place more confidence in online health information than friends and family. 5

Varying rates of patients using online physician reviews have been reported, with investigators indicating between 16% and 63% of patients utilize online reviews. 6 , 7 According to a recent survey, almost three quarters (71%) of surveyed patients used online reviews as the first step to finding a new doctor. 8 The wide discrepancy in utilization rates and relatively few studies conducted on use of online reviews to find a physician indicated a need for further research. Likewise, internet trends are changing constantly and adapting to users’ needs. Therefore, up-to-date research on these trends is necessary to understand and respond to the needs of patients. Online reviews in other consumer markets matter to Millennials. According to a recent study conducted on consumer behavior, 96% of consumers aged 18 to 34 read local business reviews online. 9 Moreover, 89% of consumers aged 18 to 34 trust online reviews. Although medicine is a fundamentally different industry than those measured in the preceding survey, utilization of a search engine for reviews on something as personal as healthcare may bleed into medicine.

Millennials contributed about 21% of total healthcare spending in 2018, with this portion of healthcare spending expected to grow as Millennials age and require additional care. 10 Moreover, this generation of patients are changing expectations across the industry with greater demands for improved healthcare access, value, and consumer experience. In contrast to older generations, Millennials are much less brand loyal, and anyone seeking their business must adapt to acquire these patients. 11 This generation is comfortable and reliant on technology in daily life. To attain and further retain this patient population will require physicians to provide easy access to and availability of information about them online. 5

It is feared that online reviews may have a negative impact on a provider’s reputation. Previous publications have expressed that fears of negative reviews are what prevents providers from having an online review platform. 12 , 13 According to findings published almost a decade ago, physicians were likely to have positive website ratings, with most patients likely to leave a positive review of their physician. 5 , 14 Based on these findings, the likelihood of a provider’s reputation being tarnished by poor patient reviews is relatively low. It is not known how the next generation of patients, however, will interpret online reviews of physicians.

Understanding how this next generation of patients finds and interacts with healthcare will better prepare the industry to receive the next wave of patients. The goal of this study was to explore the extent to which online resources and online reviews influence a patient’s choice of physician.

Patients visiting primary care and geriatrics clinics at an academic medical center located in the Midwest between May and July 2020 were invited to participate in a brief anonymized survey. Paper survey forms were distributed to patients and subsequently returned to clinic staff at the end of their appointment. Data collected included general demographic information, if participants read online reviews before choosing a physician, other resources they might utilize, and where they most commonly receive medical care. In addition, a five-point Likert-type scale, from extremely unlikely to extremely likely, was used to determine the influence of negative and positive online reviews on a participant’s decision when selecting a physician for care and the likelihood participants will utilize online resources when looking for a physician. Incomplete surveys, and participants whose stated age was less than 18 were not included in the study. The project was approved by the University of Kansas Medical Center Human Research Protection Program. Consent for the study was obtained through a written preface at the beginning of the survey.

Data Analysis

Descriptive statistics were calculated for respondent characteristics and responses to survey questions (i.e., frequencies and percentages for categorical variables, and means and standard deviations for continuous variables). The chi-square test of independence and McNemar’s test were performed to evaluate differences between age and gender groups and within the groups in terms of using online resources and how influential review ratings are in choosing a particular physician for medical care. Statistical significance was determined at the 0.05 level and effect sizes (Cramer’s V, Cohen’s κ, and odds ratio and their 95% confidence interval if applicable) were calculated for each comparison. REDCap ® , a HIPAA-compliant web-based application, was used to collect and manage study data. 15 All analyses were conducted using SAS 9.4. 16

A total of 284 patients completed the survey ( Table 1 ), consisting of 172 women, 110 men, and 2 respondents who self-identified as “Other”. The patients’ ages ranged from 18 to 90 years (M ± SD = 44.35 ± 17.54 years), and their race/ethnic distribution was representative of the geographic location. Survey results are presented with the study sample as well as subgroups based on age ( Table 2 and Table 4 ) and gender ( Table 3 ). Age subgroups were defined as those aged 18 to 38 years (n = 122) and those older than 38 years of age (n = 162); such grouping could maintain an adequate number of responses in each subgroup while differentiating the two by distinct generations. Gender subgroups were defined as females (n = 172) and males (n = 110), excluding “Other”.

Sample demographics.

Survey responses by age group.

Survey responses by gender.

Influence of online reviews.

Reading Online Reviews

Overall, more than half of the patients (57%) reported they read online reviews of their physician. As seen in Table 2 , the results of chi-square test further indicated that those aged between 18 to 38 years were two times more likely to read online reviews when choosing a physician compared to those who were older (χ 2 (1) = 8.43, p = 0.004, V = 0.17, OR = 2.05 [1.27; 3.33]). Women read online reviews more than men (59.9% vs. 52.7%), but this difference was not significant (χ 2 (1) = 1.40, p = 0.24, V = 0.07, OR = 1.34 [0.83; 2.17]).

Utilize Online Resources

The majority of patients (n = 163, 57.4%) indicated they were likely to utilize online resources when looking for a physician. Those aged between 18 to 38 years were significantly more likely to do so compared to older patients (χ 2 (4) = 28.64, p < 0.001, V = 0.32). Also, women were more likely to utilize online resources than men, but this difference was not significant (χ 2 (4) = 9.23, p = 0.056, V = 0.18).

Influence of Online Reviews

On the survey, patients indicated how negative and positive reviews would influence their decision when looking for a physician. About half reported they were likely to be influenced by negative reviews (n = 141, 49.6%: either “extremely likely” or “likely”), while 23.6% (n = 67) reported they did not. Those aged between 18 to 38 years were more likely to be affected by negative reviews than older patients (59% vs. 42.6%); however, this difference was not significant (χ 2 (4) = 9.01, p = 0.061, V = 0.18). Also, women were more likely to be affected than men, but the gender difference (54.7% vs. 41.8%) was not significant (χ 2 (4) = 8.69, p = 0.069, V = 0.18).

Almost two-thirds of the patients (n = 184, 64.8%) reported they were likely to be influenced by positive reviews, a greater percentage than the case of negative reviews (49.6%). Similar to negative reviews, those aged between 18 to 38 years and women were more likely to be affected by positive reviews than their counterparts, but the differences were not statistically significant (for age, 71.3% vs. 59.9%, χ 2 (4) = 9.11, p = 0.058, V = 0.18; for gender, 69.8% vs. 57.3%, χ 2 (4) = 6.76, p = 0.15, V = 0.15). Those aged between 18 to 38 years were more likely to be affected by positive reviews than by general reviews (S = 19.51, p = 0.034, κ = 0.65 [0.54; 0.76]). Similarly, for those aged older than 38 years, positive reviews were more influential compared to general reviews (S = 23.17, p = 0.010, κ = 0.65 [0.56; 0.74]) and negative reviews (S = 34.75, p < 0.001, κ = 0.67 [0.58; 0.75]).

Other Resource Options

To ascertain what other resources patients used to find a physician, respondents were asked to select all resource options that apply. The most common responses were “Friends/Family” (n = 222, 78.2%), followed by “Doctor’s clinic website” (n = 114, 35.2%) and “Google Search” (n = 100, 40.1%). One specific item that was not included in the list of response options, but was specified by several patients, was their insurer’s website (n = 19, 6.7%). Patients being seen at a primary care clinic indicated they most commonly received medical care at a primary care clinic (n = 231, 81.3%); the next most utilized was Urgent Care (n = 16, 5.6%) followed by the Emergency Room (n = 9, 3.2%).

This single-site survey of patients seen at an academic medical center located in the Midwest found patients were likely to read online reviews and utilize online resources when searching for a physician. Those aged between 18 to 38 years were more likely to conduct their own research by utilizing online resources and reading online reviews before choosing a physician. Likewise, those aged > 39 years were found to utilize online resources and read reviews, but not to the same degree as those within the 18 to 38 year age group.

We found that more than half of patients read online reviews of their physician. Other studies have found similar rates ranging from 42% to 61% compared to the 57% found in this study. 5 , 7 Participants aged 18 to 38 years were two times more likely to read online reviews than older generations, indicating the online shift occurring generationally and the importance of online reviews to this patient population. The influence of online reviews has been extended past patients themselves. Online reviews have been linked to better Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scores (HCAHPS) and, given the impact these scores have on hospitals and physicians, it can be conceived that online reviews may find themselves in a similar type of scoring system. 7 In fact, in 2009 the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) encouraged patients to rate their general practice physicians through the NHS webservice. 17 Whether a similar approach will be implemented by government subsidized healthcare in the U.S. remains unclear. Furthermore, it has been reported that patients are more likely to leave a positive review than a negative one. 14 To better serve this population, it may be within a medical practice’s best interest to be more available on online review platforms and encourage patients to leave online reviews.

Online resources were found to be useful to patients when looking for a physician. By age group, those aged 18 to 38 years were much more likely to utilize online resources compared to older generations. This may signify a shift in the way patients find their physician and directly impacts primary care as online resources, such as reviews or a clinic website, will be the first impression many patients gain about a practice. It would be within a practice’s best interests to put time and resources into their online presence to be better perceived by prospective patients.

Another finding suggested that online reviews influence a patient’s choice of physician. Providers have become concerned about the impact negative reviews may have on their reputation within the community. 12 , 13 We found negative reviews, compared to positive ones, were not likely to influence a patient’s decision. Furthermore, positive reviews had a much larger degree of influence compared to negative reviews. Similarly, other investigations have shown positive reviews have a greater influence than negative ones, providing further evidence that negative reviews have little influence on patients’ decisions. 5 , 14

The most recent research on the effects of online resources on patients’ decisions were outdated, as these studies were published several years ago. 7 , 14 Further, these studies did not compare internet usage on a generational basis. Importantly, internet habits and practices change rapidly and must be measured on a consistent basis to capture and understand current trends. 18 This constant adaptation may explain the wide range of online review usage reported previously. Although our research suggested there may be a relationship between the tone of the review and patients recruited to a practice, it would be advantageous for providers seeking to expand their practice to encourage online patient reviews.

We also gathered data on what other resources patients use to find their physician. Many respondents utilize word of mouth communication via friends and family while also indicating they utilize “Google search” as resources to find their physician. Interestingly, very few respondents used Facebook as a resource while the “Doctors clinic website” was the second most common response. This suggested that both word of mouth and Google can be effective forms of obtaining patients, while Facebook may have limited benefit.

Limitations

This study should be interpreted considering the limitations of a cross-sectional study. Using self-reported data to study internet use may have resulted in over- or under-reporting of use, although studies of internet use for health purposes similarly have relied on self-reported data. 19 No information was collected on education, household income, or internet availability, all factors that have been reported to influence internet use. 20 The survey was conducted at a single institution with adults who were waiting to receive medical care and female respondents represented most survey responses, limiting the generalizability of the results. Further, the survey instrument did not specific whether an individual had been an established patient at the practice. New patients were likely younger and more trusting of internet resources while older, more established patients, may have been seen by the same provider for several years. As the utilization of online resources by patients accessing health care was extensive and varied greatly by age, gender, and background, further study is warranted.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite looming concerns about our aging population, Millennials are the largest living generation, with many approaching an age where they will need to find new insurance and, in many cases, a new physician. When confronted with this issue, they will look online for reviews of practicing physicians. Negative reviews have little impact on a patient’s choice of physician, therefore demonstrating the necessity to be available online. Further research is necessary to determine whether reviews have an impact on the number of new patients recruited to a practice. However, our research suggests an online presence can make a physician’s practice more accessible to younger generations and can be instrumental in capturing the new wave of young patients.