Finland catching up with Germany in preventing premature deaths, still has a way to go to catch up with Sweden and Norway
A new report by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) shows that in 2017 Finland proportionally lost a greater number of years of life than Sweden, Norway, or Germany.
The age-adjusted average for lost years of life in Finland was 3247 per 100,000 inhabitants. In Germany, the corresponding number was 3240, in Sweden it was 2569, and in Norway, 2473.
In addition to 2017, the study examined lost years of life in 2003, 2009 and 2013.
The situation in all four countries improved over the years, and Finland nearly caught up with Germany. However, in Norway and Sweden, public health numbers in 2017 were 29 percent better than in Germany and Finland.
“In Finland, measures taken to improve public health have been successful and above all, mortality has declined over the entire research period. We are nevertheless clearly behind our Nordic neighbours. The gap with Norway and Sweden can be explained especially by violence and alcohol-related deaths, which are traditionally more common in Finland than in the other Nordic Countries”, says Pekka Jousilahti, Research Professor at THL.
All deaths taking place before the age of 70 were classified as premature deaths. Most of these could have been prevented. In addition to overall mortality, years of life lost to premature deaths were examined in five main groups: malignant tumours, cardiovascular illnesses, accidents, suicides, and illnesses related to alcohol consumption.
Finland's numbers were the worst in all areas except for cancer. The country with the greatest number of years lost to premature death from cancer was Germany.
Finnish women close to other Nordic women, men more like those in Eastern Europe
There are clear gender differences in premature deaths in Finland. In 2017 Finnish women came in third in lost years of life, behind those in Sweden and Norway. Germany was last. Cancer deaths among women in Finland were the lowest among the countries that were compared.
Finnish men had the highest number of lost years of life of all four countries in four groups: external causes/accidents, suicides, cardiovascular diseases, and alcohol-related reasons.
In Finland, health differences between women and men have long been high. Women in Finland have come closer to those in the other Nordic countries, but the situation for well-being and health among Finnish men is closer to that in Eastern Europe.
“In Finland, health differences between men and women and premature deaths can be prevented effectively through various health policy measures, including alcohol policy and mental health services. The goal of the comparison is to encourage each of the countries to learn from the others”, says Mikko Vienonen, special adviser in health care.
“Good health care is not just an expenditure in the national economy. I would imagine that as public health improves, the economy will also start doing better”, he adds.
In addition to Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Germany, countries taking part in the comparison included other members of the Northern Dimension partnership (Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Northwest Russia, and Estonia) whose public health situations are to be discussed in regional seminars this spring.
The seminars are being organised as part of the EU-funded Northern Dimension strategy project implemented by International Consulting Expertise ICE.
Seminars are open to everybody. Next seminar is on 22th April. Sign in here.
Funding the research is the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of cooperation in the Baltic Sea, Barents, and Arctic regions (IBA).
Additional information:
Pekka Jousilahti
Research Professor
THL
tel. +358 29 524 8623
pekka.jousilahti(at)thl.fi
Mikko Vienonen
Doctor of Medicine, special adviser in international health care
tel. +358 50 442 1877
vienonen.m(at)gmail.com
