• Posted June 29, 2026

Nearly 3 in 10 Young Adults Don't Have a Regular Doctor, Survey Finds

Many young adults may be missing important preventive healthcare screenings, according to a national survey.

The poll of more than 1,000 U.S. adults, commissioned by Ohio State University in Columbus, found only 71% of people ages 18 to 29 have a regular doctor, compared with 97% of adults 65 and older.

Even among young adults who do have a doctor, fewer than half — just 47% — had a checkup in the past year.

The authors say skipping routine visits can mean missing recommended screenings, vaccines and early warning signs of conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Dr. Zachary Bittinger, a family medicine physician at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, said having a primary doctor is especially important when you are young.

"We look ahead five years, 10 years and 20 years, because that's ideally how long you see your primary doctor," he said. "That kind of relationship means that for each stage of life, from college to raising children to retirement, you get the kind of advice that keeps you safe."

The survey also found young adults are more likely to turn to urgent care for non-emergency health issues. In all, 36% said they would go to an urgent care clinic first, while 68% of older adults said they would contact their regular doctor.

"My young, healthy patients might be the picture of health, but they might not know they're behind on their tetanus shot because it's been 10 years," Bittinger said. "They might not know that it's time for their first Pap test. There are lots of things that crop up that we see coming in primary care from a long way away."

More information

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has more on the importance of primary care.

SOURCE: HealthDay TV, June 29, 2026