(McClellan, 2015). These changes may explain the current findings that the mean age of service use was lower in millennials and that they also were more likely than baby boomers to seek help if they were less than 5 years post-AUD onset and utilize treatment if they were less than 7 years post-AUD onset. Depending on when they were interviewed as part of COGA, millennials may have been uninsured (explaining lower rates of specific help-seeking and treatment utilization options and higher use of AA / self-help for first-time treatment) or recently insured and quick to use such coverage (explaining higher outpatient first-time treatment use and overall higher hazard ratios). Relatedly, millennials have experienced a cultural shift in the widespread use of technology, specifically smartphones, to track nutrition and exercise (Higgins, 2016), monitor patient progress (Firth et al., 2017), and even intervene in mental health care (including substance use) (Donker et al., 2013). It is possible that millennials’ access to health information and monitoring poises them to make informed choices regarding alcohol problems (e.g., note drinking habits, AUD symptoms, and seek services sooner in the development of the disorder) and easily connect with services such as AA / self-help groups.
