Youth unemployment creates a healthcare access gap

Youth unemployment is usually discussed through an economic lens, lost income, fewer opportunities, and limited participation in the economy.

But beyond that, there is another consequence that receives far less attention: the impact unemployment has on healthcare access and long-term health outcomes.

South Africa's youth unemployment crisis remains one of the country's most pressing challenges. According to Statistics South Africa's Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2026, unemployment among young people aged 15 to 24 sits at 60.9%, while among those aged 25 to 34 it stands at 40.6%. Young people make up nearly half (49.7%) of the working-age population yet continue to face the poorest labour market outcomes. In total, 4.7 million young South Africans are unemployed, while a further 10.6 million are outside the labour force altogether.

As South Africa reflects on Youth Month, it is worth asking whether we are paying enough attention to the health consequences of these figures. While the economic implications are widely discussed, the effect on healthcare access and long-term wellbeing is often overlooked.

For many young South Africans, employment provides more than a salary. It often provides access to healthcare through medical aid membership, workplace wellness programmes or simply the financial means to seek care when needed. When employment opportunities disappear, those healthcare benefits often disappear too.

Medical aid becomes harder to afford, routine healthcare is delayed and preventative interventions are often deprioritised. Over time, many young people become disconnected from the screenings, check-ups and early interventions that help identify risks before they develop into more serious and costly health concerns.

The result is that healthcare becomes reactive rather than preventative.

When prevention becomes a luxury
Preventative healthcare plays a critical role in improving long-term health outcomes. Regular screenings, health assessments and early intervention help identify potential risks before they progress into more complex conditions.

Yet for many unemployed young South Africans, healthcare understandably competes with more immediate priorities such as food, transport and housing. Even when public healthcare services are available, barriers such as transport costs, long waiting times and limited awareness of preventative services can make regular healthcare engagement difficult.

The impact extends beyond physical health. Prolonged unemployment is closely associated with increased stress, anxiety, depression and reduced self-esteem. The uncertainty that comes with long-term joblessness can weigh heavily on young adults who are trying to establish independence, build careers and create stability for themselves and their families.

Financial strain can also influence daily behaviours. Disrupted sleep, reduced physical activity, poor nutrition and substance use can become coping mechanisms during periods of prolonged stress. Over time, these patterns increase the risk of both physical and mental health challenges.

Healthcare professionals are also seeing lifestyle-related conditions such as obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes emerge earlier and more frequently among younger populations. Without early detection and intervention, these conditions can quietly progress for years before being diagnosed, making treatment more complex and outcomes less favourable.

Prevention is an investment in South Africa's future
One of the persistent misconceptions about preventative healthcare is that it is an expense rather than an investment.

In reality, preventative care remains one of the most effective ways to improve population health while reducing the long-term cost of treatment. Identifying risks early creates opportunities for intervention before conditions require specialist care, hospitalisation or ongoing management.

For young people in particular, preventative healthcare offers something especially valuable: the opportunity to establish healthy behaviours early in life. Regular check-ups, routine screenings and informed lifestyle choices can shape health outcomes for decades to come.

From Profmed's perspective, preventative healthcare should be viewed as an essential component of youth development. If South Africa hopes to build a healthy, productive and resilient workforce, healthcare access cannot be treated as a separate issue from economic participation and opportunity.

Importantly, preventative care is not only about physical health. It also supports mental wellbeing, resilience and a young person's ability to participate fully in education, employment and society.

Healthcare access is part of the youth development conversation
If we want young South Africans to participate fully in the economy, we need to view healthcare access as part of the broader youth development agenda, not as a separate issue.

Good health underpins a young person's ability to learn, pursue opportunities and contribute meaningfully to society. When physical or mental health challenges go untreated, the consequences often extend far beyond immediate wellbeing, affecting education outcomes, employability and long-term prospects.

This is why conversations about youth development cannot focus solely on education and employment. Access to healthcare, particularly preventative healthcare, should form part of the broader discussion about creating sustainable opportunities for young people to thrive.

There are also important implications for the healthcare system itself. When large numbers of young people are disconnected from routine healthcare services, opportunities for prevention and early intervention are missed. Conditions that could have been managed early often progress to more serious stages, requiring more intensive and costly treatment later.

In effect, the healthcare system shifts away from prevention and towards crisis management. That places additional pressure on already stretched public healthcare services while increasing long-term healthcare costs for society as a whole.

Preventative healthcare should not be viewed as a luxury reserved for those who are employed. Expanding awareness, accessibility and uptake of preventative health services among young South Africans must become part of the national conversation around youth development and economic inclusion. Policymakers, employers and the healthcare sector all have a role to play, and that conversation needs to start now

As South Africa continues to grapple with youth unemployment, it is important to recognise that the effects extend far beyond the labour market. They influence healthcare access, health outcomes and broader societal wellbeing.

Ensuring that young people can access healthcare before preventable conditions become more serious is not only a healthcare priority. It is an investment in the country's future and in the millions of young South Africans whose health and potential will help shape it.