While most young people rate their health as good or excellent and happiness levels have improved in recent years, fewer have medical aid cover and most continue to rely on public healthcare facilities, according to Statistics South Africa.
South Africa's youth say they are healthy and happy, but the data paints a more complicated picture.
While most young people rate their health as good or excellent and happiness levels have improved in recent years, fewer have medical aid cover and most continue to rely on public healthcare facilities, according to Statistics South Africa.
The agency's latest analysis of youth health patterns found that medical aid coverage among young people has fallen to less than one in 10, while three-quarters now rely on public health clinics for care. At the same time, tuberculosis, HIV-related illnesses and assault remain the leading underlying causes of death among young South Africans.
Statistics South Africa defines youth as people aged between 15 and 34 years. In 2025, South Africa's population stood at 63.1 million, of which almost 21 million were young people.
