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PERSPECTIVE article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Digital Public Health
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1546317
Generational differences in healthcare: The role of technology in the path forward
Provisionally accepted
Costanza Cecconi 1*
Rob Adams 2 Antonella Cardone 3 Joséfine Declaye 4
Mitchell Silva 5 Tineke Vanlerberghe 6 Nick Guldemond 7 Ignaas Devisch 8 Joris van Vugt 9- 1 Viatris, Rome, Lazio, Italy
- 2 Six FIngers, Eindhoven, Netherlands
- 3 Cancer Patients Europe, Brussels, Belgium
- 4 European Specialist Nurses Organisation, Brussels, Belgium
- 5 Esperity, Brussels, Belgium
- 6 Viatris, Hoeilaart, Belgium
- 7 Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, Netherlands
- 8 Ghent University, Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium
- 9 Viatris, Amstelveen, Netherlands
Healthcare systems worldwide are under increasing pressure due to aging populations, rising prevalence of chronic diseases, and heightened patient expectations. Generational differences significantly impact perceptions of health, healthcare decision-making, use of digital technologies, and attitudes toward preventative health. This perspective article explores these differences through the lens of Generational Cohort Theory, focusing on six generations: the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Generation Z, and Generation Alpha. We highlight how each cohort’s unique experiences shape their healthcare values, preferences, and engagement with digital health technologies.Younger, tech-savvy generations demand personalized, data-driven healthcare solutions, while older generations often face barriers to adopting digital tools due to limited digital literacy. The article emphasizes the importance of tailoring healthcare delivery, including hybrid care models, to accommodate diverse generational preferences. It further addresses the role of artificial intelligence, wearable technologies, and mobile health apps in preventative care and the need for targeted education to bridge the digital divide and combat misinformation.We propose strategies to integrate digital health solutions and generationally sensitive communication approaches, ensuring equitable access to healthcare services and fostering patient empowerment. Ultimately, this work underscores the need for a multi-faceted, inclusive approach to healthcare delivery to meet the demands of an evolving patient demographic and drive progress in public health systems.
Keywords: Generational differences, digital health literacy, Hybrid healthcare models, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare, Preventative health
Received: 16 Dec 2024; Accepted: 11 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Cecconi, Adams, Cardone, Declaye, Silva, Vanlerberghe, Guldemond, Devisch and van Vugt. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Costanza Cecconi, Viatris, Rome, Lazio, Italy
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.