Survey Finds Most Millennials Take at Least 1 Prescription Medication Daily

The pandemic has presented its fair share of challenges over the past two years with many people of all ages and from all walks of life struggling financially, physically, and mentally. A new study on millennial prescription medication use and mental health found that 68 percent of millennials surveyed take at least on prescribed medication daily, with meds for depression or anxiety being the most commonly reported.

Pandemic Impact on Millennials’ Mental Health

The report found the most common type of prescription taken by millennials is anti-anxiety medicine. Following anti-anxiety are antidepressants. Additionally, 16% of millennials have started taking a mental health-related prescription since March 2020. The impact the pandemic has had on mental health across the world is something that remains ongoing. However, 61% of millennials in the U.S. say their mental health has suffered since 2020. In all, 68% of millennials take at least one prescription medication daily and 1 in 5 take multiple prescriptions every day.

Prescription Costs and Effect on Usage

With more millennials taking prescription medications come questions about prescription prices, as some companies and entrepreneurs are looking to improve costs for consumers. More than half of millennials say they request generic-brand medications to help save costs. 95% think the cost of prescriptions should be lowered and 1 in 5 admit to skipping doses in order to save money.

Slightly more than 1 in 10 millennials have had to make a choice between being able to buy food or paying for their medication. It’s just not millennials who are impacted, 29% say someone in their household has gone without prescription medication because they couldn’t afford it. In fact, 15% of people report having one expired or old prescription at home and 35% say they’ve taken an expired prescription.

Vitamin and Supplement Use

Vitamins and supplements are also something many millennials are using regularly. 78% say they take vitamins or supplements, with slightly more women (81%) consuming them. The most common taken vitamin among the age group are multivitamins and Vitamin D.

When it comes to costs, 42% say they spend up to $19 a month on vitamins, but only 28% say they take them because it was suggested by their doctor. Additionally, 1 in 3 say the pandemic has made them more interested in vitamins and supplements. Despite the oldest millennial now being 41-years-old, 52% say they prefer gummies instead of pills.