Younger Generations Tackling Mental Health Issues More Proactively Than Older Groups, Says Glow Study

Younger Generations Tackling Mental Health Issues More Proactively Than Older Groups, Says Glow Study
B&T Magazine
Edited by B&T Magazine



The ‘COVID generation’, who face some of the greatest mental health threats from ongoing lockdowns, may thankfully also be the most resilient and well-equipped to deal with them, according to new research released this week by Glow.

In a week marked by the annual mental health awareness anniversary, R U OK? Day, the research shows that at least half of all Australians aged 18 to 24 have talked about mental health with their family or friends – compared to just 39 per cent of the general population.

The Catalyst survey of over 1,200 Australians by the Glow research platform showed nearly one in four Gen Zs (23 per cent) had also changed their behaviour to try to tackle mental health compared to just 13 per cent of Baby Boomers (aged over 55). A third of Gen Zs (33 per cent) had also personally researched the issue, compared to just 10 per cent of Baby Boomers.

Interestingly, one in five women (20 per cent) said they had changed their behaviour to try to address mental health challenges, compared to just 14 per cent of men. Nearly half of Australian women (45 per cent) said they had talked about mental health with their family or friends, compared to just 33 per cent of men.

Glow’s global CMO, Matt Houltham (pictured at top) said the research echoed the results of similar surveys in Europe, which have foreshadowed long-term mental health impacts for young people from prolonged lockdowns and the biggest educational disruption in modern history.

“Mental health is clearly a massive issue at the moment, with more than 15 million Australians in lockdown,” said Houltham.

“Our research in August showed that mental health is now the fourth most concerning issue for Australians behind COVID, climate change, and the cost of living. But among 18 to 24-year-olds, it was second only to COVID as the greatest national issue of concern.

“Younger Australians were not only concerned about their mental health but the lockdowns and restrictions may have also affected their ability to complete their education and impinge on their job prospects.”

On Thursday, Australia celebrates R U OK? Day – a movement started by advertising executive and suicide prevention campaigner Gavin Larkin, who sadly lost his life to lymphoma in 2011. Larkin started the not-for-profit in 2009 after his father committed suicide.

Mental health is one of over 30 issues monitored on an ongoing basis as part of the Catalyst social and environmental research program, which is powered by Glow’s consumer research platform. The Catalyst data is available free to subscribers at glowfeed.com/catalyst.




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