Population Health
The Population Health Unit monitors the health, functional capacity and well-being of the population, investigates the underlying factors and causes, and develops methods for risk assessment and scientific foresight of health problems, health promotion and disease prevention.
The unit
- assesses and forecasts the development of the population’s health, functional capacity and well-being, with consideration given to different subgroups within the population.
- develops population research methods and coordinates the FinTerveys and FinSote (incl. health, functional capacity, well-being, quality of life, lifestyle, service needs, and service system) population studies.
- monitors the nutritional habits, food consumption and nutritional status of the population and its different subgroups (incl. FinRavinto).
- researches factors influencing chronic diseases, well-being and functional limitations at different stages of life.
- develops risk identification methods for diseases and health problems.
- examines the possibilities for preventing chronic diseases (incl. cardiovascular diseases, memory loss diseases, type II diabetes) and functional limitations.
- utilises genomics and other ‘omics’ in research on the etiology and risk factors for diseases and functional limitations.
- supports preparations for the Genome Centre.
- develops, implements and evaluates interventions to support the health, functional capacity and well-being of individuals and the population.
- assesses the utilisation of applications developed using new technologies in medicine and prevention work.
Unit teams
- Evaluation
- Monitoring
- Public Health Research
- Interventions
Contact details
Markku Peltonen
Head of Unit
tel. +358 29 524 8477
e-mail: [email protected]
Postal address
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
Population Health Unit
Po Box 30
FI-00271 Helsinki, Finland
