Digital health technology product campaigns should be largely directed at millennials.

And while marketing dollars may not be completely wasted on campaigns designed to generate sales among Gen Xers, any dollars spent trying to attract baby boomer sales are most likely wasted.

That’s what data from a survey sponsored by WebMD Health Services found when it gathered information from 1,000 U.S. adults across all generational lines.

Millennials, for various reasons, are far more likely than their elders to want to manage as much of their medical provider interactions via technology than are Gen Xers and boomers. They have been early adopters of digital health products and are eager for more to come to market.

Millennials’ current usage of digital health technologies, according to the results of this survey, far outstrips that of the two older generations. Nearly half of millennials said they currently use these technologies and another third indicated that they plan to. But, the survey said, less than one-third of Gen Xers and only 14 percent of boomers currently use digital health technologies and only 26 percent and 10 percent plan to, respectively.

The survey found that almost half boomers (44 percent) said they are not at all interested in wellness technologies, compared with less than one in 10 millennials expressing no interest.

According to the survey, millennials “prefer speed and convenience from their healthcare professionals over a personal connection, which may result from their perceived lack of free time, pressures associated with work-life balance or comfort with digital technologies,” WebMD said in a release concerning its report, "Insights Into the Millennial Market."

These types of technological products allow people to spend less time engaging in their medical care because much of it can be done without visits to offices and clinics. Such products mesh well with the millennial lifestyle, which is one where individuals are constantly on the go. Any time that can be “saved” by such practices as remotely taking care of medical needs appeals greatly to this group, the survey says.

“Clearly, Millennials are more open to digital health technologies and wellness solutions, and they are driving the healthcare provider community on the need for greater convenience and accessibility,” said Michael Sokol, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, WebMD Health Services. “At the same time, the findings suggest significant engagement gaps with Gen Xers and Boomers, who may be at a point in their lives when they can most benefit from wellness solutions.”

Other findings

Among highlights from the survey:

40 percent of millennials say they “work more than they should,” compared to 29 percent of Gen Xers and 20 percent of boomers.
36 percent of millennials say they "never have time to do the things they want to do," compared with 29 percent of Gen Xers and 13 percent of boomers.
49 percent of millennials prefer that interactions with health care professionals be “fast, convenient or instantaneous,” compared with 40 percent of Gen Xers and 28 percent of boomers.

“Older generations, instead, value a more personal exchange, with 60 percent of Gen Xers and 72 percent of boomers favoring the relationship with their provider over speed of interaction,” the survey release says.

In terms of personal health, millennials who participated in the survey were “more likely to exercise and maintain a healthier weight than their older counterparts.” Details of personal health attitudes included the following:

72 percent of millennials say they exercise at least once or twice a week — about the same as Gen Xers but more than Boomers, at 57 percent.
57 percent of millennials say they were of “average weight” compared with 54 percent of Gen Xers and 40 percent of boomers.
45 percent of millennials consider themselves "very healthy," compared with 31 percent of Gen Xers and 25 percent of boomers.

“These factors, combined with a preference for technology over ‘personal touch,’ may explain why millennials are more receptive to using websites, apps and devices when engaging with healthcare professionals and employee wellness solutions,” the survey says.

Instant Insights /

Millennials far more receptive to digital health tools than their elders

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