Gen Z Women Face More Health, Safety Threats Than Their Grandmothers

Chicago — Health and safety dangers are being experienced more by women who are Gen Z and Millennials than prior generations.

A new report by the Population Reference Bureau found that women born after 1982 had heightened risks to their physical well-being and safety compared to their mothers and grandmothers. The younger generations have a higher risk of suidice, death in childbirth and of being murdered than older generations, the New York Post reported. 

The Population Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan non-profit, pointed to key factors behind some of those threats including harmful social media content, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, heightened political divisions, rising inflation and reproductive health.

There have been some positive strides. Young women are more likely to get a degree and less likely to be incarcerated than before. But despite more educational opportunities and higher pay than previous generations, “structural barriers to health and safety are preventing many of them from reaching their full potential,” Diana Elliot, vice president for U.S. programs at the organization, said in a news release.

“Increased rates of suicide and homicide, and a lack of access to health care services like safe abortion, have the combined effect of reversing the health and safety gains women of previous generations experienced, especially women of color,” Elliot added.

Other key figures pointed out in the report:

• Deaths in childbirth a decade ago was at a rate of 19 per 100,000, while the maternal mortality rate among millennials is 30 deaths per 100,000
• When Baby Boomers were teens, the suicide rate was three girls for every 100,000. Now, Gen Z female teens are experiencing a suicide rate of five girls for every 100,000 

Noah Johnson (he/him/his) is a Chicago-based journalist. Follow him on X: @noahwritestoo.

Edited by NaTyshca Pickett