March 15, 2008

The health woes of the baby boomer generation may be greatly exaggerated, at least in the eyes of boomers themselves. An online research study by ThirdAge Inc. and JWT BOOM may contradict other major studies suggesting that boomers are unhealthier than any generation before them.

"Baby boomers and aging mid-lifers - ThirdAgers as we call them, have been reported to be experiencing more health problems than previous generations," says Sharon Whiteley, CEO, ThirdAge (thirdage.com). "However, our research, which has findings consistent with the AARP's National Health Interview Survey, indicates over 87% indicated that they feel they are in 'good to excellent' health."

The survey was conducted online among more than 1,300 people 40 years old and older. Almost half of respondents, or 49.8%, consider themselves to be in very good or excellent health, with another 37.8% saying they are in good health. About 12.4% of respondents called their health fair or poor.

Baby boomers have few illusions about the effects of aging - more than half of respondents say they suffer from one or more chronic conditions - but they have a different perception about managing their health than might be expected. "Boomers and today's mid-lifers, generally speaking, are solution-oriented by nature," says Lori Bitter, president, JWT BOOM (jwtboom.com). "Even though they may be dealing with conditions that come with age - like hypertension, high cholesterol, or chronic back/neck pain - 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."

The study's findings also suggest that alternative or integrative medicine protocols may be growing in popularity among boomers. More than 83% of respondents say they are somewhat or very interested in complementary and alternative approaches to healthcare.

The Internet has become a primary source of health-related information for the boomer demographic. More than 89% of respondents go online for health information, with more than 80% clicking on online ads about a health condition, product, or service to receive more information. Although boomers are using the Internet on a regular basis for health-related information, 73% of survey respondents also shared that they are concerned about their privacy. Nearly three of 10, or 28.5%, read health-related blogs. More than one in seven, or 14.6%, participate in online communities around health-related issues, and 27.3% watch health-related videos online occasionally or frequently. More than half, or 54%, have enrolled or reported they would enroll in online health classes, and more than a quarter of respondents have taken an offline health workshop.

More than half of respondents, 50.2%, say they suffer from one or more chronic conditions. The most commonly cited include hypertension with 13.4%, high cholesterol with 12.1%, and chronic back/neck problems with 10.4%.Almost one in six, or 15.5%, say Alzheimer's disease has been present in their immediate family, and 29.1% have visited a physician for a problem that they thought was heart-related. Just more than one in eight respondents, or 12.7%, have provided long-term care of at least three months for a spouse or partner, and 39.8% have provided care for an aging parent or other relative.

Among female respondents 51 years old and older, 38.5% say they were moderately affected or extremely affected during menopause. Sexual health is also a concern for boomers; nearly three in 10, or 29.5%, of female respondents say they are somewhat or very concerned about their partner's sexual health, while almost half, or 49.7%, of male respondents say they have the same level of concern about their own partner's sexual health.

Almost nine in 10, or 88.7%, of boomers are insured, and more than a quarter, or 25.6%, have long-term care insurance. An additional 43.5% of respondents say they would consider getting long-term care insurance.

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