1st October 2024

Allianz Partners, a world leader in insurance and assistance services, has today launched the Generational Health Insights report and docuseries, offering insights into how today’s population feels about key healthcare topics. Working alongside Joe-Max Wakim, Vice Director of Health at the Copenhagen Institute of Future Studies, the report and docuseries explores the opinions of cross-generational contributors, framed by Joe-Max’s extensive knowledge, experience and access to health research data and studies.

The aim of the Generational Health Insights report is to explore how we can better meet the healthcare needs of different generations today, as well as be better ancestors when it comes to addressing challenges and meeting the health and wellbeing needs of future generations in a more sustainable way. As well as the perspectives of our cross-generational contributors, the report also uses data from global studies, citing data and findings from around the world. The report focusses on three main health topics, ‘Living Well’, ‘Mental Health’ and ‘Digital Health’, combined with observations and conclusions from Health Economist Joe-Max Wakim. 

1. By 2030, 1 in 6 people will be aged 60 years or over [1]. The proportion of older age-groups in our society is increasing, and the risk of getting one or more chronic diseases increases with age. This goes some way towards explaining the fact that in our study, the idea of living to a very old age was not welcomed, unless they could be confident of a good quality of life. 
2. When it comes to chronic (non-communicable) diseases, the leading drivers of illness, disability and healthcare costs [2], killing 41 million people a year, the study showed a stark lack of awareness around what they are and how they can be prevented. There is a key opportunity to educate and empower people to take control of their health, improve their quality of life and ultimately, take pressure off national healthcare systems longer term. 
3. Almost half (47%) of Gen Zer’s aged 12 to 26 often or always feel anxious, and more than one in five (22%) often or always feel depressed [3], and our study reflected the fact that mental health is now cited as almost more important than physical health. With different generations experiencing different challenges around mental fitness, a one size fits all approach won’t work. Support for mental health needs to be taken as seriously as more tangible, physical health concerns, and tailored to at-risk populations.
4. In 2024, there was a 6,500% increase in prescribed mental healthcare apps. While digital health services and the use of AI in healthcare settings continues to grow and provide benefits, research shows that there will still be a role for human healthcare professionals when it comes to more personal interactions and diagnoses. 
5. Health insurers, health organisations and governments have a job to do to build trust around how personal health data will be used, and explain what the benefits will be, before they, along with consumers, will be able to reap the full benefits of a health ecosystem and more efficiently linked health data.