Statistics and surveys
On this page
- Disability in statistics
- Disability services in statistics
- Sotkanet Indicator Bank
- Sotekuva
- Social and health care notification system (Hilmo)
- Healthy Finland Survey
- Health 2011 survey
- School Health Promotion study
- National FinSote Survey
- Health and social services reform
- Reports of six biggest cities (Kuusikko)
Disability in statistics
Disability is always defined in relation to a specific situation or happening (for example, the need for services, need for modification due to the environment, and own experience of the situation). This is why different kinds of information that are gathered on disability are always only part of the overall picture. Disability can also be a matter of identity when a person experiences being a person with a disability.
Disability services in statistics
Persons with a permanent disability have similar needs as those of all other people, so they use the same services as other people. Disability doesn’t necessarily mean that a person would use specialized services. Unequivocally, it is difficult to define the number of persons using the services based on the Act on Disability Services and Assistance (380/1987, later referred to as the Disability Services Act) and on the Act on Special Care for the Mentally Handicapped (519/1977, later referred to as the Act on Special Care for People with Intellectual Disabilities) because among clients that are entitled to disability services and have received the decision on the services, some use only one kind of service while others use numerous kinds.
Over the years, the use of disability services based on the Disability Services Act has increased. The status of the Act on Special Care for People with Intellectual Disabilities is secondary which has increased the number of decisions based on the Disability Services Act also among persons that receive services based on the Act on Special Care for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Another reason for the increase is that the population is ageing and persons with disabilities also live longer.
In the Sotkanet Indicator Bank, maintained by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), you can find data on the number of users as well as on the cost of the services and financial support measures, based on the Disability Services Act and on the Act on Special Care for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Data on the prevalence of disability services and disabilities are gathered in the statistics and other sources maintained by THL, presented below.
Sotkanet Indicator Bank
Sotkanet is the indicator bank of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). It offers key population welfare and health data from 1990 onwards on all Finnish municipalities, based on the current administrative division into municipalities.
It allows the user to search for indicator data concerning different geographical areas in absolute numbers and percentages, for instance. Indicator descriptions provide information on data content, interpretations, data sources, years covered and possible restrictions.
Sotkanet includes data on for instance disability services, disability benefits and services for people with intellectual disabilities.
A relevant entity for disability issues is for instance “Services and resources” (keyword “Services for disabled people”). Examples of the statistics are presented below.
Sotkanet – Statistical information on welfare and health in Finland (sotkanet.fi)
Statistics: Personal assistant services
This indicator gives the number of clients aged 18–64 who have received personal assistance according to the Disability Services Act during the year per 100,000 inhabitants.
The indicator describes the volume of personal assistance provided pursuant to the Disability Services Act. In the interpretation of the indicator, it should be remembered that the service delivery system should always be looked at as a whole. Different municipalities choose different ways of providing services. Therefore, comparing individual services between municipalities does not tell the whole truth because municipalities may emphasize different services.
Statistics: Day and sheltered work centres
This indicator gives the number of disabled people who participated in day centre activities or sheltered work by 31 December. The number includes customers participating in activities aimed at maintaining or promoting functional capacity and arranged by work rehabilitation centres or other similar units (clients of services provided under Section 27e of the Social Welfare Act and Section 2, Paragraph 4 of the Act on Special Care for People with Intellectual Disabilities).
The data cover services provided by the municipality itself or purchases from other municipalities, joint municipal boards, the State, or private service providers.
Statistics: Housing with part-time assistance
The indicator gives the number of clients in housing with part-time assistance for people with intellectual disabilities at the end of the year per 100,000 inhabitants by sex. Housing with part-time assistance for people with intellectual disabilities refers to group homes for people with intellectual disabilities where the staff is available only part of the day.
The number of clients (on 31 Dec) includes all persons registered as clients at the end of the year, i.e., clients for whom a bed place has been reserved, including those on leave or otherwise temporarily absent.
The figures include services provided by municipalities, joint municipal boards and private service providers.
Sotekuva
In the service, you will find information compiled on the state, need for, quality, effectiveness and costs of social welfare and health care by wellbeing services county and by municipality. The web service is provided by THL.
The information is based on the social welfare and health care cost-effectiveness indicators (KUVA).
The social welfare and health care cost-effectiveness indicator (in Finnish, KUVA)
You can use the data in the monitoring and evaluation of the social welfare and health care organised by the wellbeing services counties and in knowledge-based guidance and management.
Social and health care notification system (Hilmo)
The social and health care notification system (Hilmo) covers an important part of residential care activities in social and health care. Since 2011, the Hilmo system also covers out-patient care in basic health care (Avohilmo). Hilmo is maintained by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
The social and health care notification system includes information on
- specialized health care in both out-patient and institutional care
- outpatient care in basic health care
- oral health care
- institutional care in basic health care
- residential care activities in social welfare
- home care.
The social and health care notification system does not include information on
- institutional care in child protection
- housing services for substance abusers’ rehabilitation.
Social and health care notification system (Hilmo) (in Finnish)
Healthy Finland Survey
The Healthy Finland survey will provide up-to-date information on the health, well-being and service use of adults living in Finland, as well as on changes and future developments in these areas. The study is also examining the long-term effects of the coronavirus epidemic on the health and well-being of the population and forming a situation picture for the different wellbeing services counties.
Health 2011 survey
Health 2011, a follow-up survey conducted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), is based on the Health 2000 survey. The aim of the Health 2011 survey is to produce reliable data on the health, functional capacity and welfare of the population and its subgroups as well as any changes in these during the previous decade. Age- and gender-specific data on some disabilities are available in its basic report.
School Health Promotion study
The School Health Promotion (SHP) study is conducted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). It monitors the well-being, health and schoolwork of Finnish children and adolescents. The aim of the SHP study is to strengthen the planning and evaluation of health promotion activities at the school, municipal and national levels.
Information on children with different kinds of disabilities is available in the research data.
National FinSote Survey
The FinSote National survey of health, well-being and service use enables monitoring the changes occurring in the population's well-being and health by different population groups and regions. The survey also produces follow-up and evaluation data on how well the service needs of the population are met, as well as the views of the population on the social and health care service system, and the availability, quality and use of services.
The research data also has information available on disabled persons. The survey is conducted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
Health and social services reform
Health and social services reform is being carried out in Finland. A knowledge base and assessment of services are included as well as the regional reform.
The Ministry of Finance coordinated a simulated assessment of the regional economy; the assessment ended in 2018. The aim of the simulation was to test the finance and steering processes of new regional units and financial decision-making in the new system. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Heath was responsible for the guidance of social and health care in the regions.
The knowledge and experience gained in the simulation are used for further development of assessment in the regions. The simulation does not affect the future financing of the regions. Regional assessment reports can be read on the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) website, including disability services.
The base data of the assessment can be found in the Sotkanet Indicator Bank and also in the new Data Window (trial version) with map functionality.
- Social welfare and health care reform on THL website
- Health and social services system performance assessment on THL website
- Sotkanet Indicator Bank
- Data Window (trial version)
Reports of six biggest cities (Kuusikko)
Kuusikko is a cooperation group of social and health care professionals in the six largest cities in Finland. It produces comparisons of social and health care functions. The reports are intended for the staff and decision-makers of the municipalities.
The comparisons of disability services concern mostly the services of persons with severe disabilities based on the Disability Services Act, especially transportation services and personal assistance. The comparisons include data on transportation services based on the Social Welfare Act and on service lines of the public transport. Those affect the need for transportation services based on the Disability Services Act.
In the reports of the intellectual disability services, the comparisons mostly concern services based on the Act on Special Care for People with Intellectual Disabilities. They focus on institutional care, housing services, day activity services and work activities.
Reports of both fields are produced annually. From 2016, the reports were published in the same publication for the first time. Starting in 2017, the report is a joint report of disability services where disability services are examined as one entity.
Kuusikko reports on disability services (in Finnish, Kuusikkokunnat)
