Millennial and Gen Z women face an increased risk of homicide and suicide than previous generations despite being more educated and earning more money, according to new research from the US.
The data, in a report from the US Population Reference Bureau (PRB), offers insight into the effects of world events on young women’s health and shows some interesting correlations between the wellbeing of this population here in Australia.
While definitions of generational divides can vary, this report defines Gen Z as those born in 2000 or later, while millennials are anyone born between 1981 and 1999. Gen X falls between 1965 to 1980, baby boomers between 1946 to 1964 and the Silent Generation are born from 1928 to 1945.
Homicide
The US report shows the overall death rate in women between 25 and 34 years of age jumped almost 40 per cent (from 79 deaths to 109 deaths per 100,000) between 2019 and 2021, with the report (using largely government data) citing a rise in violent crimes as the cause.
Between 2019 and 2021, the rate of homicide deaths in young women increased from 3.4 to 5.4 per 100,000, and 2020 saw the largest one-year increase in national homicides in modern history (30 per cent), according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This disturbing trend is being seen here in Australia as well, with Destroy the Joint’s Counting Dead Women register showing 54 women have been killed due to violence against women this year. With thirty days still left in 2023, this is only one away from the 57 women killed in 2022, making gender-based violence a national emergency.
Suicide
The US report showed the suicide rate among millennial women ages 25 to 34 is seven deaths per 100,000, compared to four deaths per 100,000 when Gen X was the same age. For teenage Gen Z girls (ages 15 to 19), suicide rates are more common at 5.1 per 100,000, compared to 3.1 per 100,000 for millennials and 3.9 per 100,000 for Gen X.
The frequent use of social media plays a role in increased suicide and self-harm behaviours due to low self-esteem, poor body image and worsening mental health, according to the PRB.
A study from the University of NSW, published in the journal Body Image, suggests the exposure to short form, “appearance-ideal content” videos on social media is having a negative impact on body image on young women aged 17 to 28 through platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Mental health
An American Psychological Association report has shown as well that Gen Z reported the highest stress levels during the Covid pandemic compared to 5.6 millennials and 5.2 in Gen X.
Here in Australia, research has shown almost half of young women are living with mental illness. The National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing , conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), revealed in 2022 that young women have some of the highest rates of mental health issues, with one in four (24.6 per cent) aged 16 to 24 experiencing a mental disorder.
Maternal mortality
Back in the US, maternal mortality for women aged 25 to 34 also increased to 30.4 deaths per 100,000 between 2019 and 2021 compared to 19.2 deaths per 100,000 between 2013 to 2015. And following the US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade– leading many states to restrict abortion access– the PRB predicts a further increase in maternal mortality among millennials and Gen Z.
While Australia is one of the safest places in the world to give birth, maternal mortality is still a national concern. First Nations women are three times more likely to die in childbirth than other Australian women (17.5 vs 5.5 per 100,000 women from 2012-2019).
Economic strides linked to health
Despite worsening health and safety risks for young women, the PRB data shows millennial women are more educated and have more economic success than previous generations.
Millennial women hold almost four times as many bachelor’s degrees than women of the Silent Generation and 1.5 times as many bachelor’s degrees as Gen X.
Although it’s extremely disappointing the gender pay gap still exists, millennial women’s earnings as a percentage of men’s has increased in the US. They earn 89.7 cents for every dollar men make compared to the 82.4 cents Gen X women made at their age.
Here in Australia, research from Monash University has shown financial inequity is linked to poor health outcomes for women, with income equity for Australian women more than 200 years away at the current rate of progress and full time employment equality with men around 70 years away. Australian women have lower incomes, less superannuation, less labour force engagement and poorer health than men.
Linked with this financial inequity is the greater psychological distress that women experience compared to men, which has risen particularly high in Australian women aged 18-24 and 55-64 since 2001.