KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — Almost half of millennials in the United States have been diagnosed with depression, but one in five of them do not seek treatment, according to a report.
Business Insider US cited a study by Blue Cross Blue Shield that found major depression diagnosis has increased by 47 per cent among millennials since 2013, while the overall rate rose from 3 per cent to 4.4 per cent among 18 to 34 year olds.
In total, two million commercially insured Americans diagnosed with major depression were not seeking treatment.
Business Insider US attributed American millennials’ worsening health and reluctance to seek help to rising health care costs and increasing burnout rates.
In 1960, the average annual health insurance cost per person in the US was US$146, but in 2016, it rose to US$10,345. This represented a nine-fold increase when adjusted for inflation.
Costs are expected to rise to US$14,944 in 2023.
An Insider and Morning Consult survey found that more millennials than baby boomers have refused medical or dental treatment because it was too expensive.
Blue Cross reportedly found that millennials were less healthy than Gen Xers were at their age, and that they would likely be less healthy than Gen Xers when they get older.
