What factors do Americans consider when choosing medical treatments?

Key findings:

• Side effects (61%) and insurance coverage (60%) are the top factors Americans consider when choosing medical treatments.
• Baby Boomers are more likely than Gen Z to consider side effects (67% vs. 52%), insurance coverage (69% vs. 49%), and clinician or doctor reputation (47% vs. 33%). 
• Gen Z are more likely than Baby Boomers to factor in the price of a prescription (42% vs. 38%) and the reputation of a medical center (31% vs. 25%).
• Americans who take preventative action when symptoms first appear are more likely than those who delay seeking care to consider side effects (65% vs. 51%) and their clinician's reputation (40% vs. 25%).

When deciding on a treatment or medication, Americans balance a range of considerations, from potential side effects and insurance coverage to cost and the reputation of healthcare providers. But these priorities aren't the same for everyone.

New YouGov Profiles data shows that treatment priorities shift with age, with older Americans placing greater emphasis on safety, insurance coverage, and clinician reputation.

Older generations place greater emphasis on safety, insurance, and clinician reputation

Potential side effects are the most commonly cited consideration overall, with 61% of Americans saying they factor them into treatment decisions. Concern rises steadily across generations, from 52% of Gen Z to 58% of Millennials, 63% of Gen X, and 67% of Baby Boomers, before remaining similarly high among the Silent Generation and older (65%).

Whether a treatment is covered by insurance follows a similar pattern. Nearly half of Gen Z (49%) say insurance coverage influences their treatment decisions, compared with 55% of Millennials, 62% of Gen X, and 69% of Baby Boomers. Among the Silent Generation and older, nearly two-thirds (64%) also consider insurance coverage.

Older generations are also more likely to consider the reputation of their clinician or doctor. While around one-third of Gen Z (33%), Millennials (35%), and Gen X (36%) cite this factor, the share rises to 47% among Baby Boomers and 56% among the Silent Generation and older.

By contrast, around four in 10 Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X respondents consider prescription prices and overall treatment costs, and these concerns become less common among older generations. Testimonials also become less influential with age, dropping from 16% of Gen Z and 15% of Millennials to 8% of Baby Boomers and 6% of the Silent Generation and older.

Americans who seek care sooner are more likely to consider provider-related factors

Treatment priorities also differ based on how Americans typically respond when health issues arise.

Those who say they take preventative action when symptoms first appear are the most likely to consider side effects (65%), compared with 61% of those who wait to see if symptoms develop further and 51% of those who wait as long as possible before taking action.

They are also more likely to consider their clinician's reputation (40%) than those who wait to see if symptoms develop (35%) or delay taking action (25%). The same pattern appears for the reputation of the medical center, cited by 28%, 26%, and 19%, respectively.

Insurance coverage remains one of the top considerations regardless of health approach, with between 53% and 60% of respondents across the three groups saying it factors into their decisions. Likewise, around four in 10 consider prescription prices or overall treatment costs irrespective of how quickly they seek care.

Those who delay taking action are also the most likely to say they don't know what factors influence their treatment decisions (16%), compared with 10% of those who wait to see if symptoms develop and 7% of those who seek care when symptoms first appear.

Methodology: 

YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. Figures are drawn from responses collected between June 2025 and June 2026, using a 52-week dataset updated weekly. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in the US and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race.

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