Baby Boomers Not So Unhealthy, After All
Contradicting studies that call Boomers less healthy than the generations preceding them, a study by ThirdAge Inc. and JWT BOOM finds 87 percent of Baby Boomers and aging mid-lifers ("ThirdAgers") are in "good to excellent" health, writes MarketingCharts.
The "Boomers, Healthcare and Interactive Media Study" was conducted online at www.thirdage.com with over 1,300 respondents 40+ years old. The study's findings are "consistent with the AARP's National Health Interview Survey," said Sharon Whiteley, CEO, ThirdAge Inc.
"Boomers and today's mid-lifers, generally speaking are solution-oriented by nature," said Lori Bitter, president of JWT BOOM. "Even though they may be dealing with conditions that come with age…they consider these issues as a 'natural' part of aging and overall feel confident that leading-edge therapies and science are going to keep them healthy and vital for years to come."
Research findings indicate that future health solutions will include alternative or integrative medicine protocols: Over 83 percent of all ThirdAge respondents - not just those on the younger end of the spectrum - said they are somewhat or very interested in complementary and alternative approaches.
Topics taboo for earlier generations of the same age were also addressed in the health survey:
- Of female respondents age 51 and older, 38.5 percent said they were moderately or extremely affected during menopause.
- Among all female respondents, close to one-third (29.5 percent), said they are somewhat or very concerned about their partner's sexual health.
- Almost half of all male respondents (49.7 percent) reported that they have the same level of concern about their own partner's sexual health.
Where Boomers Are Turning to For Healthcare Info
- A primary way this dynamic demographic is gathering health-related information is the Internet, Bitter said: Over 89 percent of ThirdAgers go online for health information, with over 80 percent clicking on online ads about a health condition, product or service to receive more information.
- Though Boomers are using the internet on a regular basis for health-related information, 73 percent of survey respondents also shared that they are concerned about their privacy.
- "Trusted resources and credible information is clearly a factor," Bitter said:
- Close to one-third (28.5 percent) said they read health-related blogs.
- 54 percent have taken, or reported they would enroll in, online health classes.
- Over 25 percent of respondents have taken an offline health workshop.
- 14.6 percent participate in online communities around health-related issues.
- 27.3 percent watch health-related videos online "occasionally" or "frequently"; 72.7 percent say they watch such videos "infrequently" or "never."
MarketingCharts provides other top-line findings from the study:
http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/baby-boomers-no-so-unhealthy-after-all-2968/
