Get Healthy!

• Posted July 28, 2026

Many Young Adults Aren't Ready To Manage Their Own Healthcare, Poll Finds

Many young adults aren’t prepared to manage their own healthcare, a new survey has found.

About 1 in 6 parents (17%) said their 18- to 25-year-old doesn’t handle any basic healthcare responsibilities on their own, including scheduling needed appointments or providing proof of insurance, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

“Our report highlights an important transition that many families may not be fully preparing for,” Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark said in a news release.

"Turning 18 changes who is legally responsible for healthcare decisions, but healthcare independence doesn't happen overnight,” said Clark, who is also a researcher in the university’s pediatrics department. “Young people need practice talking to providers, setting up appointments, learning about insurance and managing their own care.”

Parents attributed the gap to a lack of knowledge about what to do (27%) or inexperience (25%). Fewer said their adult child wasn’t mature enough (16%) or didn’t want to take responsibility (15%).

“Parents don't have to hand over responsibility all at once,” Clark said. "The goal is to gradually shift routine healthcare tasks to teens so they gain confidence, make informed decisions and build these skills over time.”

The poll involved 1,550 parents with at least one child between 18 and 25. It was conducted in February, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1 to 7 percentage points.

For the poll, researchers asked the parents about whether their adult child handles six basic healthcare tasks.

More than half (58%) said their child handles at least four of the six tasks, including:

• Communicating with providers during a visit (71%)

• Following the doctor’s instructions afterward (71%)

• Arranging transportation to appointments (69%)

• Providing insurance and family history information (56%)

• Scheduling appointments (52%)

• Deciding when they need a healthcare visit (49%)

About 17% said their child handles none of these responsibilities.

The parents polled also said they’re concerned about their young adult’s lifestyle habits, including too much screen time (55%); inability to manage stress (45%); poor sleep (44%); unhealthy diet (40%); and lack of physical activity (38%).

Parents can take an active role in teaching young adults how to handle their own healthcare as well as adopt healthy habits, Clark said. 

“Teaching teens and young adults to make healthy choices is key to setting them up for a healthier future,” she said.

More information

Nationwide Children’s Hospital has more on helping teens become more involved in their healthcare.

SOURCES: University of Michigan, news release, July 27, 2026; University of Michigan, Mott Poll Report, July 27, 2026