AARP Research Insights on Health Care

AARP Research on health care highlights U.S. adults' experiences with and feelings about Medicare, Medicaid, prescription drugs, telehealth, and healthy living.

Medicare

Medicare is universally seen as important, and majorities want Congress to protect it.

• More than nine in ten (91%) adults 50 and older agree that Congress must work immediately to find a financial solution for Medicare, including the three-quarters (73%) who strongly agree with this assessment. A similar percentage (95%) agree that Republicans and Democrats must work together to find a solution to finance Medicare so that current and future retirees receive full benefits. [Source: Public Opinion on Social Security and Medicare Among Adults 50-Plus, fielded February 2024.]
  
  
• Eight in ten (82%) registered voters ages 18 and older believe it is extremely or very important for Congress to address protecting Social Security and Medicare. Nine in ten (90%) of voters ages 50 and over share that belief. [Source: U.S. Voters’ Views on Support for Family Caregiving, fielded April 2023.]
  

Many midlife and older adults are skeptical about the future of Medicare.

• Roughly nine in ten (88%) adults ages 50 and older report that they are very or somewhat worried that Medicare will not be able to provide at least the same level of benefits in the future as they provide today. Slightly fewer (78%) say they are very or somewhat concerned that Medicare will not be there when they need it. [Source: Public Opinion on Social Security and Medicare Among Adults 50-Plus, fielded February 2024.]
  
  
• Nearly three-quarters (73%) of adults ages 50 and older believe that changes need to be made to Medicare to keep it financially sustainable for the future. [Source: Public Opinion on Social Security and Medicare Among Adults 50-Plus, fielded February 2024.]

Familiarity and favorability are high for Medicare.

• Three-quarters (77%) of adults ages 50 and older say are very or somewhat familiar with Medicare, and nearly all (98%) say that Medicare is very or somewhat important to American’s financial security in retirement. [Source: Public Opinion on Social Security and Medicare Among Adults 50-Plus, fielded February 2024.]

Many 64-year-olds have not yet started researching Medicare and may underestimate the task of enrolling. 

• While two-thirds (66%) of beneficiaries say they spent at least some time and effort comparing the features of the different Medicare plan types, just three in ten “coming of agers” (COAs) (30%) answer this way. This gap suggests that COAs are likely spending time researching Medicare just prior to turning age 65. [Source: Choosing Medicare: Understanding the Decision-Making Process of Current Medicare Beneficiaries and Coming-of-Agers, fielded February–March 2023.]

Many factors affect the decision-making process of enrolling in Medicare.

• Individuals’ perceived health status, the characteristics of the insurance they held prior to joining Medicare, and the trade-offs between cost and choice of doctors are paramount. [Source: Choosing Medicare: Understanding the Decision-Making Process of Current Medicare Beneficiaries and Coming-of-Agers, fielded February–March 2023.]

Awareness of the Open Enrollment period is high, but cross-plan comparisons are uncommon. 

• Nearly all (97%) Medicare beneficiaries are aware of Open Enrollment and more than eight in ten (87%) coming-of-agers have heard of it. However, fewer than six in ten (58%) of those with a Medicare Advantage plan say they compare costs and coverage every year during open enrollment—and one-fifth (20%) report that they have never compared costs and coverage. [Source: Choosing Medicare: Understanding the Decision-Making Process of Current Medicare Beneficiaries and Coming-of-Agers, fielded February–March 2023.]

Midlife and older adults support the inclusion of dental, vision, and hearing coverage in Traditional Medicare.

• Nearly nine in ten (86%) adults 50 and older support the inclusion of dental, vision, and hearing coverage in Traditional Medicare, with no variation by age group. [Source: Expanding Benefits in Medicare: Views of Adults 50 and Older, fielded October 2024.]
  
  
• Majorities across political ideologies support adding dental, vision, and hearing coverage to Traditional Medicare, albeit to varying degrees. More than nine in ten liberals and moderates support adding dental, vision, and hearing coverage to Traditional Medicare (93% and 91%, respectively) compared with three-quarters (74%) of conservatives. [Source: Expanding Benefits in Medicare: Views of Adults 50 and Older, fielded October 2024.]

 

PAYING FOR LONG-TERM SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THROUGH MEDICARE

Uncertainty about ways to pay for long-term care services is common.

• Nearly half (46%) of U.S. adults 50-plus incorrectly believe that Medicare covers care in a nursing home or care in the home from a home health aide, with women more likely than men (52% vs. 40%) to believe it does. Additionally, adults 50–64 are more likely than those 65-plus to believe the Medicare pays for nursing home or in-home care (53% vs. 38%). [Source: Long-Term Care Readiness: An AARP Survey of Adults 50+, fielded December 2021.]

A majority of older adults believe they may need care as they age, but few have planned for it.

• Nearly seven in ten (68%) adults ages 50 and older believe that they will need assistance with their daily activities as they get older, yet fewer than three in ten (28%) have seriously considered how they will continue to live independently if they need such assistance. [Source: Long-Term Care Readiness: An AARP Survey of Adults 50+, fielded December 2021.]

Midlife and older adults are concerned about multiple issues regarding aging.

• More than six in ten (63%) adults 50-plus are concerned that they might not be able to live independently as they age, with a similar figure (62%) expressing concern about becoming a strain or burden on family members. Slightly fewer say they are concerned about not having enough money saved (59%), needing to live in a nursing home or assisted living facility (58%), or not being able to remain in their own home (57%). Half (50%) are concerned that their friends or family members won’t be there to assist them as daily tasks become more difficult. [Source: Long-Term Care Readiness: An AARP Survey of Adults 50+, fielded December 2021.]

Support is high for Medicare to help cover the costs of providing care related to assistance with activities of daily living, but support for paying a small increase in premiums for in-home care is less so.

• More than nine in 10 (91%) U.S. adults 50 and older express support for Medicare to help cover the costs of providing care to enrollees who need assistance with their activities of daily living (ADLs such as bathing, dressing, or eating). Moreover, six in 10 (61%) adults 50 and older say they would be willing to pay a small increase in Medicare premiums for access to in-home care, yet nearly one-quarter (23%) are unsure. [Source: Expanding Benefits in Medicare: Views of Adults 50 and Older, fielded October 2024.]
  
  
• Although support is uniformly high regardless of political ideology (90% of conservatives, 90% of moderates, and 96% of liberals), when it comes to paying a small increase in Medicare premiums for access to in-home care, support varies notably. More than eight in ten (82%) liberals say they would support the premium increase compared to two-thirds (65%) of moderates, and nearly half (46%) of conservatives who say the same. [Source: Expanding Benefits in Medicare: Views of Adults 50 and Older, fielded October 2024.]

Midlife and older adults prefer expanding Medicare to cover home-care aide services.

• When asked to express their preference between two statements, by a margin of three to one (75% vs. 24%), U.S. adults 50 and older say they would like to see Medicare expand to cover home-care aide services rather than continue to focus on its current coverage. Expanding Medicare to cover home-care aide services is the preference for both age groups and genders. [Source: Expanding Benefits in Medicare: Views of Adults 50 and Older, fielded October 2024.]

• Although majorities of midlife and older adults across the ideological spectrum prefer the statement about expanding Medicare, there are significant differences across the three groups. Nearly nine in ten (88%) liberals select the statement with Medicare expanding to cover home-care aide services compared to three-quarters (75%) of moderates and two-thirds (65%) of conservatives. [Source: Expanding Benefits in Medicare: Views of Adults 50 and Older, fielded October 2024.]
  
  

MEDICAID

Health is a worry among Medicaid recipients ages 50 to 64.

• More than half (55%) of Medicaid recipients surveyed said they have been on Medicaid for five years or more, with more than eight in ten (84%) saying they are on medication or sought treatment for a health condition in the past year. More than nine in ten (92%) reported having seen a doctor within the year, but only about half (49%) say they saw a dentist. [Source: Midlife Challenges of Those With Medicaid, fielded November 21, 2023, through January 8, 2024.] 

Yet preventive care is not a priority among most Medicaid recipients.

• Even though they recognize the importance of preventive care, many Medicaid recipients have delayed important health screenings, including more than half who say they delayed a screening for cervical cancer in the last five years (55%) or delayed getting a colonoscopy in the last 10 years (55%). Only about half (47%) reported getting a flu shot, while a bit more than one-third said they got a COVID-19 vaccine (38%) or a vaccine for shingles (35%). [Source: Midlife Medicaid Recipients: An Examination of Their Health and Health Care Needs, fielded November 21, 2023, through January 8, 2024.]

Money is still at the forefront for most Medicaid recipients.

• Nearly half of Medicaid recipients ages 50 to 64 report having difficulty paying for utilities (47%), say they cannot afford to pay for food (46%), and experience trouble paying their debts (46%). Overall, more than six in ten (62%) rate their financial health as fair or poor, with more than eight in ten (83%) saying they do not have enough savings and nearly three-quarters (73%) reporting that they are living paycheck to paycheck. [Source: Midlife Medicaid Recipients Age 50–64: A Summary of their Health and Financial Security, fielded November 21, 2023, through January 8, 2024.]

And food insecurity remains a concern.

• Some midlife Medicaid recipients (36%) face food insecurity, having to choose between buying food and medicine or other necessities due to cost. Two-thirds (65%) report having received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, with nearly half (46%) saying they have received food from a free source such as a foodbank or pantry. While most Medicaid recipients ages 50 to 64 say they can easily access a grocery store, four in ten (42%) say it is difficult to afford healthy food; this closely aligns with the more than four in ten (44%) who rate their diet as fair or poor. [Source: Midlife Medicaid Recipients: An Examination of Their Food Insecurity, Diet, and Nutrition, fielded November 21, 2023, through January 8, 2024.]

Family, friends and community are important to midlife Medicaid recipients.

• Midlife Medicaid recipients who need care are more likely to lean on family (63%) and friends (29%) instead of paying for caregivers (13%), which many cannot afford.  Socializing with others is also important and common, with nearly three-quarters (73%) saying they have contact with other people (who are not living with them) at least weekly.  Unfortunately, nearly half (48%) say they lack companionship, four in ten (41%) feel left out; and four in ten (42%) feel isolated from others.  More than seven in ten midlife Medicaid recipients say its important to remain in their current home (73%) and within their community (71%) — both for as long as possible. [Source: Midlife Challenges of Those With Medicaid, fielded November 21, 2023, through January 8, 2024.] 

Health Care Affordability

The costs of health care and medical debt plague many midlife adults.

• Receiving medical bills they could not afford to pay (14%) or not having enough money to buy nutritious food (11%) are the top items experienced by adults ages 40–64 in the past 12 months, with women more likely than men to report difficulties in paying their medical bills or being able to afford nutritious food (17% vs. 10% for both items). [Source: Health Care Affordability in 2024 Among Adults Ages 40–64, fielded August 2024.]
  
  
• More than one-quarter (27%) of adults ages 40–64 have some form of medical debt, most often from doctor’s visits, diagnostic tests and fees, and hospital bills. This medical debt may be especially challenging for the four in 10 (40%) adults with debt who have debt of $2,000 or more. Additionally, one-fifth (19%) of those without medical debt reported receiving an unexpected bill from a medical provider, and three in 10 (30%) said they were unable to pay it. [Source: Health Care Affordability in 2024 Among Adults Ages 40–64, fielded August 2024.]

Midlife and older adults see the importance of having adequate health insurance coverage — and making it more affordable.

• One-quarter (26%) of midlife adults consider an individual health insurance premium of $100 per month to be unaffordable. Although there is little variability across age groups in what is considered an unaffordable health insurance premium, women are more likely than men to say an insurance premium of more than $150 a month is unaffordable (18% vs. 11%). Perhaps not surprisingly, then, roughly half (48%) of adults ages 40–64 consider reducing the cost of monthly health premiums as the most important affordability issue for policymakers to address. [Source: Health Care Affordability in 2024 Among Adults Ages 40–64, fielded August 2024.]

Employer-based health insurance is most common among adults ages 40–64.

• More than four in ten (43%) adults ages 40–64 say that they have their health insurance coverage through their current employer while another one in seven (15%) say their health insurance comes from their spouse or partner’s employer. More than half (54%) of those with health insurance coverage report having had it for more than five years. In contrast, one in seven (15%) say that they have had their current coverage for less than one year. Of these, more than four in 10 have employer-sponsored coverage, either through their own (27%) or spouse’s (17%) employer. [Source: Health Care Affordability in 2024 Among Adults Ages 40–64, fielded August 2024.]

Although most with health insurance are not concerned about losing it, they have issues with using it.

• Although seven in ten adults ages 40–64 with health insurance coverage say they are not very (29%) or not at all (41%) concerned about losing it within the next year, among those with employer-sponsored coverage, most (80%) believe they need to stay in their current job to keep their health insurance. This belief is stronger among women, with more than half (55%) saying they think they need to stay in their current job to maintain their health insurance compared to four in ten (41%) men who say the same thing. [Source: Health Care Affordability in 2024 Among Adults Ages 40–64, fielded August 2024.]

Midlife adults express general satisfaction with health insurance coverage, albeit with caveats.

• Among adults ages 40–64 with health insurance, satisfaction is highest with the quality (58% extremely or very satisfied) and availability (53%) of health care providers and hospitals. In contrast, satisfaction is lowest when it comes to cost — co-pays (40%), premiums (39%), and annual deductibles (34%). [Source: Health Care Affordability in 2024 Among Adults Ages 40–64, fielded August 2024.]
  
  
• Recent experiences with health insurance plans are generally related to cost and coverage and, for those who experienced difficulties with their health insurance plan, cost and coverage issues were most common along with decisions to delay or forgo care. [Source: Health Care Affordability in 2024 Among Adults Ages 40–64, fielded August 2024.]

Stigma and Age Discrimination in Health Care

Stigma, while dropping for some health conditions, persists for others.

• When asked about the ways in which several health conditions are stigmatized by society, large majorities of adults 40 and older consider substance use disorders (83%) and obesity (82%) to be highly stigmatized. There are, however, signs of reduced stigma for some conditions since 2021 when the questions were previously asked, with strides made in reducing the social stigma of mental illness (down from 78% to 68%), speech impairment (from 61% to 50%), and hearing impairment (down from 42% to 27%). [Source: Social Stigma and Health Conditions: A Survey Among Adults 40+, fielded May 2023].

Midlife and older adults believe that age discrimination in health care is all too common.

• Nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults ages 50 and older believe that age discrimination in health care happens all of the time (14%) or some of the time (58%). As a point of comparison, one-fifth (21%) say they believe age discrimination happens in the workplace all of the time. [Source: Experiences with Age Discrimination in Healthcare Among U.S. Adults Ages 50-Plus, fielded May 2024.]
  
  
• About one in seven (14%) older adults ages 50 and older say they have faced age discrimination while seeking medical services or health care. Of those who have encountered it, half say it has happened within the past 12 months, one-fifth (19%) say it occurred within the past two years, and one-third (32%) say it happened over two years ago. [Source: Experiences with Age Discrimination in Healthcare Among U.S. Adults Ages 50-Plus, fielded May 2024.]
  
  
• Nearly one in five (18%) older adults say a health care provider has ignored or dismissed treatable concerns like falls, joint pain, hearing, or vision loss. A small portion of adults 65 and older are more likely than their younger counterparts to feel that their health care provider treated them as if they had poor eyesight or hearing (6% vs. 2%). [Source: Experiences with Age Discrimination in Healthcare Among U.S. Adults Ages 50-Plus, fielded May 2024.]

Household income and age appear to be drivers of age discrimination in health care.

• Of those who say they have faced discrimination in health care, the majority (64%) of adults 65 and older say they experienced discrimination because of their age while around half (46%) of adults 50–64 say they faced discrimination because of their social class or income level. Notably, older adults with household incomes of less than $30,000 are more likely than those with household incomes above that level to say they have encountered age discrimination while seeking medical services or health care (27% vs. 10% of those with incomes between $30,000 and $60,000 and between $60,000 and $100,000, and 13% of those with incomes of $100,000 or more). [Source: Experiences with Age Discrimination in Healthcare Among U.S. Adults Ages 50-Plus, fielded May 2024.]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Health Care

AI in health care: Midlife and older adults are cautiously open to the idea.

• Although most adults 50 and older say they are not familiar with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care (not at all familiar: 38%; not too familiar: 39%), many say they think they would be comfortable with it if their primary care provider used it. Adults ages 65 and older are more likely to say they are not at all familiar with the use of AI in healthcare (42% vs. 33% of adults ages 50–64). Three quarters (75%) of all older adults also say they are unsure whether their health care providers use AI. [Source: AI in Healthcare: Thoughts and Opinions Among the 50-Plus, fielded April 2024.]
  
  
• About half of older adults say they are at least somewhat comfortable with their physician using AI for help with diagnoses (46%) and treatment recommendations (50%). Adults 65 and older are more likely than those 50–64 to say they would be comfortable with their primary care provider using AI to help with diagnoses (57% vs. 46%) and/or treatment recommendations (55% vs. 46%). [Source: AI in Healthcare: Thoughts and Opinions Among the 50-Plus, fielded April 2024.]

Midlife and older adults can envision positive outcomes from the use of AI in health care, yet caution is urged for its use.

• Three-quarters (73%) of adults 50 and older say AI could be useful in helping health care workers with some tasks, thus giving the workers more time to focus on the patients. [Source: AI in Healthcare: Thoughts and Opinions Among the 50-Plus, fielded April 2024.]
  
  
• The vast majority (82%) of older adults say if a health care provider uses AI, the provider should make the final decision on the most appropriate diagnosis or treatment for the patient. Additionally, one-third (33%) of adults 50 and older say they would not be comfortable with AI even if it could improve diagnostic accuracy and/or treatment recommendations. Interestingly, this is more the case for those ages 50–64, with about a quarter (23%) saying they would not be comfortable with the use of AI even if it improved diagnostic accuracy, compared to only about one in seven (15%) adults ages 65 and older. [Source: AI in Healthcare: Thoughts and Opinions Among the 50-Plus, fielded April 2024.]
  
  
• Nearly seven in 10 (68%) adults 50 and older say they are concerned that the use of AI may lead to a health care provider spending less time with patients and over six in ten are concerned that the use of AI may lead health care providers to rely more on AI than their medical training for recommending treatments (65%) and/or diagnosing diseases (63%). [Source: AI in Healthcare: Thoughts and Opinions Among the 50-Plus, fielded April 2024.]

Prescription Drugs

Prescription drug costs continue to vex midlife and older adults.

• Most (82%) adults 50 and older report taking prescription medication regularly, with the majority (81%) reporting that they did not skip filling a prescription due to cost. Yet roughly six in 10 (59%) say they are concerned about their ability to afford prescription drugs in the next few years. [Source: Post-Election Views on Prescription Drugs Among Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded December 2024.]

Nearly all would like to see governmental action to address prescription drug costs, with limited variation by political affiliation.

• Nearly all adults (96%) 50 and older believe it is important for the government to do more to lower prescription drug prices. Similarly, nearly all (94%) consider it important for the newly elected Congress and incoming Trump administration to prioritize lowering prescription drug costs. [Source: Post-Election Views on Prescription Drugs Among Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded December 2024.]

Protecting Medicare’s ability to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices is also considered important, again with limited variation by political affiliation.

• U.S. adults 50 and older overwhelmingly believe (97%) it is important for Congress and the administration to protect Medicare’s ability to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices. [Source: Post-Election Views on Prescription Drugs Among Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded December 2024.]

Many midlife and older adults are feeling the pinch of high drug prices.

• Most adults 50 and older pay out-of-pocket for prescription drugs, with one-fifth (21%) having spent at least $1,000 or more in the past year. Notably, annual out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs is consistent regardless of age group. [Source: The Burden of Prescription Drug Costs: A Survey of Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded June 2024.]
  
  
• The current cost of prescription drugs poses a significant burden to midlife and older adults, with more than eight in 10 (82%) adults 50 and older describing them as too expensive. Adults ages 50–64, who are generally not yet eligible for Medicare, are more likely than those ages 65 and older to say they consider prescription drugs to be too expensive (86% vs. 78%). [Source: The Burden of Prescription Drug Costs: A Survey of Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded June 2024.]

Affording prescription drugs often requires making trade-offs.

• Nearly half (48%) of adults 50 and older say that they either know someone who has avoided filling a prescription due to cost or they have decided not to fill one for themselves. Almost four in 10 (38%) adults aged 65 and older who are eligible for Medicare have either personally skipped filling a prescription due to costs or know someone who has. While this is less than for those 50–64 (57%), these findings confirm that many Medicare beneficiaries are struggling with high out-of-pocket costs. [Source: The Burden of Prescription Drug Costs: A Survey of Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded June 2024.]

 

Telehealth and Health Tech

Comfort with using telehealth services is high among midlife and older adults.

• ·Seven in ten (70%) adults 50 and older say they would be (or are) comfortable with telehealth services. Adults ages 50–64 (75% vs. 65%) and women (74% vs. 67%) are more likely than their counterparts to say they are (or would be) comfortable using telehealth services. [Source: A New Look at Telehealth, fielded January 2024.]

Telehealth use is high and so too is satisfaction.

• Three-quarters (73%) of adults ages 50 and older report having used telehealth at least once in the past 12 months and, among them, nearly all (90%) say they were very or somewhat satisfied with the experience. [Source: A New Look at Telehealth, fielded January 2024.]

Telehealth is tops for convenience.

• Six in 10 (60%) adults ages 50 and older say they consider telehealth better than in-person medical visits when it comes to convenience, but half as many (29%) say the same thing about personal safety. Getting answers to simple questions (66%) or getting prescription refills (63%) are the top reasons for opting for a telehealth visit versus an in-person one. But one in 11 (9%) adults 50 and older note that they would never opt for a telehealth visit over an in-person one. [Source: A New Look at Telehealth, fielded January 2024.]

But in-person visits provide that “personal touch” that many prefer.

• In-person visits are seen as better than telehealth when it comes to “providing a personal touch” (73%), diagnosis accuracy (72%), or thoroughness (68%), while they are considered “as about the same” when keeping personal information safe (60%) and private (52%).[Source: A New Look at Telehealth, fielded January 2024.]

Telehealth is an option, but still not for everyone.

• While concerns about telehealth as they relate to privacy and a lack of a personal connection with one’s healthcare provider have declined significantly, challenges in using telehealth remain for those whose healthcare providers don’t offer telehealth services, for those who lack access to broadband (or who are unable to afford it), and for those who have less technological savvy. [Source: A New Look at Telehealth, fielded January 2024.]

For mental health concerns, adults 50 and older show an openness to using telehealth but still prefer in-person care.

• Only a quarter (24%) of adults 50 and older have had a telehealth visit for one of their last three medical appointments. Telehealth visits for mental health concerns are more common among those 50–64 than among their older counterparts (63% vs. 32%).  [Source: Access to Mental Health Care Among Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded November–December 2023.]
  
  
• About half of adults 50 and older indicate they are likely to attend a phone or video session with a mental health professional (53%) or their primary care provider (52%) for a mental health concern. Adults 50 and older are skeptical of telehealth believing they get better quality care for both physical (82%) and mental (69%) health with in-person appointments. [Source: Access to Mental Health Care Among Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded November–December 2023.]

It’s not just about telehealth anymore; health tech is here to stay.

• Many adults 50 and older (46%) recognize that technology can enable a healthy life, and the express significant interest (47%) for brain health tech such as brain training exercises or wearables to track sleep and stress levels. In addition, some caregivers (33%) are beginning to embrace tech specifically designed to assist them, while many are also leveraging a variety of digital services to aid in their responsibilities. [Source: 2025 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September 2024.]

Health tech can support health and wellness needs.

• Many also recognize the benefits of health-related tech for help with health and fitness goals. About seven in 10 adults 50 and older (71%) report using digital health-tracking apps (71 percent) for fitness classes (59%), as well as for medical (58%), telemedicine (58%), and mental health purposes (49%). [Source: 2025 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September 2024.]
  
  
• For the seven in 10 (70%) older Americans managing chronic health conditions, advances in technology and digital services have made a significant difference. Health-specific digital services, such as emergency alert devices and telemedicine, are helping individuals monitor their health. Caregivers are embracing or are interested in GPS devices and motion sensors, along with digital services for food delivery, communication, shopping, and medical assistance as they manage their loved one’s situation. [Source: 2025 Tech Trends and Adults 50-Plus, fielded September 2024.]

Reasons for telehealth use have evolved over time.

• In early 2022, nearly seven in ten (68%) adults ages 50-plus who used telehealth services reported using them for medical appointments. More than four in ten reported using the service to renew prescriptions (47%) and discuss a new medical issue (42%), while about half as many used it for diagnosing an illness (22%) or securing care for a loved one (17%). [Source: An Updated Look at Telehealth Use Among U.S. Adults Ages 50-Plus, fielded February 24–March 3, 2022.]

Barriers to telehealth use have also evolved over time.

• While roughly half (48%) of adults ages 18-plus said that a lack of knowledge in using telehealth was a top barrier in spring 2022, two years later, only 4% considered it as a barrier to use. Similarly, while roughly half (47%) registered concerns in spring 2022 about the possibility of medical errors and breaches, by 2020 this issue was raised as a concern by only one in eleven (9%) respondents. [Sources: An Updated Look at Telehealth Use Among U.S. Adults Ages 50-Plus, fielded February 24–March 3, 2022.]; Views on Telehealth, fielded April 21–May 2, 2020.]

Quality of virtual care relative to in-person visits remains a concern among telehealth users.

• One-third (32%) of telehealth users who noted a barrier expressed concern that the quality of care with telehealth visits might not be as good as the quality of care with in-person visits. [Source: An Updated Look at Telehealth Use Among U.S. Adults Ages 50-Plus, fielded February 24–March 3, 2022.]
  
  
• While one in seven (14%) rural adults ages 40 and over already use telehealth, about half (55%) are not very or not at all interested in using it. The most likely current barrier to the use of telehealth is concern over health issues that cannot be resolved in a virtual environment and that require an in-person medical appointment (39%). [Source: Health Care in Rural America: Successes and Challenges, fielded November 20–December 18, 2020.]

 

Hearing Health

Problems with hearing are common as people age. 

• Nearly two-thirds (65%) of adults ages 50 and over say their hearing has declined, with men significantly more likely than women to experience hearing loss. [Source: Attitudes About Hearing Health: Adults Ages 50+, fielded January 2023.]

Most midlife and older adults recognize the importance of hearing to overall health, but some don’t do all they can to protect themselves from hearing loss.

• Most older Americans (86%) agree that hearing health is important to maintaining their quality of life, and about half (52%) say it’s extremely or very important to reduce exposure to noise. However, somewhat fewer (41%) said they would be extremely or very likely to use a device to protect their hearing if they had a hearing loss. [Source: Attitudes About Hearing Health: Adults Ages 50+, fielded January 2023.]
  
  
• Relatively few adults (26%) 40 and older have had a hearing test in the last five years, and most say they rarely or never protect their hearing from loud noise. More than seven in 10 say that they rarely or never protect their hearing during a sporting event (79%), at an event featuring loud music (78%), or a concert (73%). Even when using loud machinery (57%) or power tools (55%), more than half note that they rarely or never protect their hearing. [Source: Attitudes and Behaviors Related to Hearing: Survey of Adults Ages 40 and Older, fielded May 2023].
  

Yet, older adults lack awareness of how to prevent hearing loss, specifically, what individuals can do to maintain their hearing and, conversely, the potential consequences of not taking prevention steps.

• Among adults who do not currently have any difficulty hearing, four in ten (41%) said they would be apt to use a device to protect their hearing from loud noise. About one-quarter (27%) of adults who already have difficulty hearing say they would be likely to do so. [Source: Attitudes About Hearing Health: Adults Ages 50+, fielded January 2023.]

Most adults know hearing loss contributes to social isolation; fewer know it contributes to dementia.

• More than half of adults are aware that hearing loss contributes, at least to some degree, to social isolation (68%), depression (63%), and cognitive decline (54%). Somewhat fewer are aware hearing loss can contribute to fall risk (47%) and dementia (43%). [Source: The Intersection Between Hearing and Brain Health: Survey of Adults Ages 40-Plus, fielded May 2023.]
  
  
• Adults who self-report excellent hearing have higher mental well-being scores, lower depression and anxiety scores, and a greater proportion report excellent or very good overall health and brain health. The difference is most notable between those who say their hearing is excellent compared to adults who acknowledge they have an untreated hearing loss. [Source: The Intersection Between Hearing and Brain Health: Survey of Adults Ages 40-Plus, fielded May 2023.]

Awareness that hearing aids can now be purchased over the counter does not affect individuals’ likelihood of addressing their hearing issues.

• Although most adults (70%) are aware that hearing aids can now be purchased over the counter (OTC), six in ten (59%) said the new access to them does not change their likelihood of addressing their hearing concerns. About one-third of adults (35%) without a hearing loss said they would be extremely or very likely to buy hearing aids OTC if they had a hearing loss, but less than one-fifth (18%) of adults who currently experience hearing difficulty would take advantage. [Source: Attitudes About Hearing Health: Adults Ages 50+, fielded January 2023.]

Older adults do not consider hearing health as important as other health issues.

• One-quarter (24%) of adults ages 45 and over reported having gotten a hearing test in the past five years, which is significantly less than those who reported having had the other four health exams about which they were asked — a physical exam (86%), a dental exam (81%), a vision test (81%), or a dermatology scan (32%). [Source: Older Adults Not Concerned About Hearing Health, fielded October 2018.]
  
  
• More than two-thirds (68%) of respondents reported having had no discussions about hearing health with medical professionals, including primary care doctors, audiologists, or hearing instrument specialists. [Source: Older Adults Not Concerned About Hearing Health, fielded October 2018.]

Vision and Eye Health

​Vision is seen as critically important to one’s quality of life over time.

• Two-thirds (65%) of adults 50 and older rate their vision as extremely important and another three in ten (29%) say it is very important to their quality of life. Women 50 and older are more likely than men in the same age group to say that vision is extremely important to their quality of life (69% vs. 61%). [Source: Vision and Driving: Attitudes and Habits of Adults Age 50-Plus, fielded July 2023.]

A majority of midlife and older adults rate their vision highly and have regular eye exams.

• Nearly half (46%) of adults 50 and older describe their vision as excellent or very good (with correction) which is perhaps not surprising considering that roughly six in 10 (58%) say they have had an eye exam in the past year and another quarter (25%) have had one within the past two years ago. [Source: Vision and Driving: Attitudes and Habits of Adults Age 50-Plus, fielded July 2023.]

Many midlife and older adults appear to be monitoring their vision — and driving accordingly.

• Nearly half (49%) of adults ages 50-plus report having difficulty seeing at night with a similar figure (46%) saying that they occasionally avoid driving during the evening and nighttime hours. [Source: Vision and Driving: Attitudes and Habits of Adults Age 50-Plus, fielded July 2023.]

Lack of vigilance could hamper efforts to maintain optimal eye health.

• Many midlife and older adults are aware that eye exams are important, with about six in ten (61%) saying that they have gotten a “regular” eye exam and about half of them (51%) also having had a dilated eye exam. Unfortunately, large majorities (80%) report looking for general health information or information on eye health only “when necessary” — or not at all — a practice that can hamper their efforts to maintain optimal eye health. [Source: Vision 2020: A Quick Look at Eye Health Among Adults 50-Plus, fielded January 2020.]

Midlife and older adults show high awareness and interest in eye health topics, but they have considerable gaps in knowledge.

• While majorities of midlife and older adults report that they are aware that certain types of age-related vision loss or blindness may be prevented by having a comprehensive dilated eye exam (86%) or that they clearly understand the difference between an optician, optometrist, and ophthalmologist (76%), many said they were unfamiliar with common conditions such as temporal arteritis (71%), corneal disease (53%), retinal disorders (47%), or macular degeneration (40%). [Source: Vision 2020: A Quick Look at Eye Health Among Adults 50-Plus, fielded January 2020.]

 

Oral and Dental Health

Cost appears to be a bigger impediment to seeking dental care than to obtaining medical care or filling a prescription.

• Due to the cost of care, nearly half (46%) of U.S. adults ages 40 and over at least sometimes delayed seeking dental care compared to nearly four in ten (38%) who postponed seeking medical care and one-third (32%) who opted not to fill or delayed filling a prescription. [Source: How Americans 40-Plus See Their Health and the System that Supports It, fielded November 2020.]

Access to dental services is common in rural areas but the frequency and reasons for visits vary.

• Half (54%) of rural adults 40-plus have visited the dentist less than a year ago, one-fifth (20%) have done so between one and two years ago, and one-quarter (24%) went to a dentist more than three years ago. Only 1% of rural adults 40-plus say they’ve never been to the dentist at all. [Source: Healthcare in Rural America: A Focus on Dental Care, fielded November 20–December 18, 2020.]
  
  
• Teeth cleanings (31%) and regular check-ups (26%) are the main reasons that rural adults 40-plus sought dental care, but those in fair or poor health are more likely to have visited a dentist for a tooth extraction, a denture-related reason, or a dental emergency rather than for a regular check-up. [Source: Healthcare in Rural America: A Focus on Dental Care, fielded November 20–December 18, 2020.]
  
  
• Although a minority of rural adults ages 40 and older, nearly three in ten (28%) report having delayed a dental visit in the past two years, while one in six (13%) have forgone treatment even though they needed dental care. [Source: Healthcare in Rural America: A Focus on Dental Care, fielded November 20–December 18, 2020.] 

Difficulty in paying dental bills is all-too-common, resulting in delays in seeking care — or forgoing it altogether.

• Cost is the top concern noted by more than four in ten (44%) of rural adults ages 40 and over. Roughly one-quarter noted a lack of dental insurance (26%) and safety concerns related to social distancing (23%) as reasons for delaying or forgoing dental treatment. [Source: Healthcare in Rural America: A Focus on Dental Care, fielded November 20–December 18, 2020.]
  
  
• In 2020, one-fifth (18%) of rural adults 40-plus had difficulty paying dental bills in the preceding two years, a situation more common among those in fair or poor health (29%). Unfortunately, delaying or forgoing dental care often only exacerbates underlying dental (or medical) conditions. [Source: Healthcare in Rural America: A Focus on Dental Care, fielded November 20–December 18, 2020.]

Exercise and Physical Activity

The benefits of regular exercise are well known.

• Nine in 10 or more adults ages 50 and older note that regular exercise would improve their general health (95%), improve their physical fitness (94%), help them to live a longer and healthier life (93%), and improve their overall appearance (90%).  [Source: Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise, fielded May–June 2023.]

But when it comes to exercise and physical activity, knowing and doing are two different things.

• One-third (34%) of adults 50 and older are aware that they need 150 minutes or more of regular exercise per week to conform to CDC guidelines, but just one-quarter (23%) achieve this weekly recommendation. [Source: Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise, fielded May–June 2023.]

Regular exercise often begets more exercise.

• Adults 50 and older who accumulate more minutes of regular exercise also engage in other healthy behaviors such as managing stress effectively, eating nutritious and well-balanced meals, regularly socializing with family and friends, and getting restful sleep. [Source: Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise, fielded May–June 2023.]

Common barriers to exercise are feeling tired, having health issues, or encountering bad weather, with some notable differences by gender and age group.

• Four in ten (39%) adults ages 40 and over said that feeling tired or lacking energy is the top barrier to regular exercise. Roughly one-quarter said that having health problems (27%) and encountering bad weather (25%) would impede their efforts at physical activity. [Source: Midlife and Older Adults Health: Healthy Habits, fielded November 2020.]
  
  
• Women were more likely than men to cite feeling tired (43% vs. 34%), having no one to exercise with (17% vs. 9%), and fear of getting hurt as barriers to exercise (13% vs. 8%), while men were more likely to mention their work schedule as a barrier (18% vs. 11%). [Source: Midlife and Older Adults Health: Healthy Habits, fielded November 2020.]
  
  
• Adults ages 40–49 were more likely to cite the following as barriers to exercise: being tired (45% vs. 60–69, 35%; and 70-plus, 24%), not having enough time (25% vs. 10% and 6%), dealing with a challenging work schedule (22% vs. 6% for both 60–69 and 70-plus), finding no safe place to exercise (14% vs. 60–69, 8%), and the expense of exercising (11% vs. 3% for adults 60-69). In contrast, older adults cited health problems (adults 50–59, 31%; 60–69, 29%; and 70-plus, 31%) and fears of getting hurt (adults 50–59, 11%; 60–69, 14%; and 70-plus, 10% vs. 40–49, 8%) as barriers to exercise. [Source: Midlife and Older Adults Health: Healthy Habits, fielded November 2020.]

Most midlife and older adults walk.

• Nearly nine in ten (87%) adults ages 50-plus engage in at least one of seven different walking activities and most (78%) engage in these activities for at least 10-minutes at a time. Nearly half (47%) walk for at least 30 minutes. [Source: Walking: Attitudes and Habits of Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded July 2022.]
  
  
• Whether walking a pet, brisk walking for exercise, or hiking, most adults (87%) age 50 and over say they walk in a typical week, with those ages 50–64 more likely than those age 65-plus to walk in general (91% vs. 83%) and walk for 10 minutes at a time (84% vs. 72%). [Source: Walking: Attitudes and Habits of Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded July 2022.]

Walking is good for you.

• Nine in 10 (91%) adults ages 50-plus say that walking improves physical health, eight in 10 (83%) say it improves fitness, and three-quarters (75%) say it improves mental health. [Source: Walking: Attitudes and Habits of Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded July 2022.]
  
  
• In addition to benefits of walking such as physical health (91%), fitness (83%), mental health (75%), and brain health (59%), other midlife and older adults mentioned helping maintain a healthy weight (77%), connecting with nature (56%), and creating environmental benefits like keeping cars off the road (29%). Only 1% said that walking has no benefit whatsoever. [Source: Walking: Attitudes and Habits of Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded July 2022.]

Most walkers walk with others, and neighborhoods are a common place to do so.

• One-quarter (24%) of adults ages 50 and over said they always or often walk with someone else, and another third (36%) walk with someone else sometimes. [Source: Walking: Attitudes and Habits of Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded July 2022.]
  
  
• Two-thirds (68%) opt to walk in their neighborhoods, while about one-quarter walk in a park (27%) or another outdoor space (23%). More adults ages 65-plus prefer walking in malls or shopping centers than do adults 50–64 (25% vs. 17%). [Source: Walking: Attitudes and Habits of Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded July 2022.]

Weather is the most-often cited barrier to walking, with safety concerns taking second place.

• More than one-third (37%) of adults ages 50-plus said weather was a barrier to walking. Another one in seven (15%) noted safety concerns including a lack of sidewalks, no access to a safe place to sit down, or insufficient lighting. [Source: Walking: Attitudes and Habits of Adults Ages 50 and Older, fielded July 2022.]

How to maintain good health is no mystery, but doing it remains a challenge.

• Most adults ages 40 and over know the top factors in maintaining good health: getting enough sleep (89%), maintaining brain health (88%) and staying drug-free (86%). As people age, they tend to become more concerned about vision, cognition, hearing loss, and colorectal cancer, while depression concerns decrease as Americans get older. [Source: Midlife and Older Adults’ Health Study, fielded November 2020.]

Stress is all too common among midlife and older adults.

• Overall, more than one-quarter (27%) of midlife and older adults report high stress. Those in their 40s were more likely (38%) to be highly stressed than those in their 50s (33%), 60s (18%), and 70-plus (13%). More women than men ages 40-plus report high stress (30% vs. 24%). [Source: Midlife and Older Adults’ Health Study, fielded November 2020.]

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