Millennials Ditching The Doctor; What's At Stake
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – More and more millennials are ditching the doctor and many don't even have a primary care physician, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Some doctors say this could lead to people overlooking serious health issues.
Dr. Niket Sonpal, adjunct assistant professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, joined CBSN New York's Janelle Burrell to explain what's behind this health trend.
"I think there's a few reasons. I think the primary one happens to be access to care," he said. "We found that millennials tend to want to have access to care right away, they want it immediately and they want to be able to see a doctor quickly."
"When they feel well, they don't want to go to the doctors, and they don't," he continued. "So then when they feel unwell, they're like I want to see a doctor right away and not wait for weeks for an appointment."
So what are the dangers of skipping the doctor's office and opting for urgent care instead?
"The big one that we're worried about now, and I think it's a big global health crisis, is not getting their vaccinations on time."
They're also missing recommended health exams, like blood pressure, eye, IBS and digestives, mental health and annual check-ups.
"Go see a doctor every year. It might just be a quick check, but it could find something that's missing," said Dr. Sonpal. "And, of course, get your vaccinations."