School Health Promotion study

Duration:

1996–

Unit at THL:

Knowledge Management and Co-Creation

On other websites:

Schoolchildren.

The School Health Promotion (SHP) study monitors the well-being, health and school work of Finnish children and adolescents. The aim of the SHP study is to strengthen the planning and evaluation of health promotion activities at school, municipal and national levels.

Methods

The SHP study is carried out nationwide every second year in March–April. Before the year 2013, the study was implemented in Southern, Eastern and Northern Finland in even-numbered years and in Western and Central Finland in odd-numbered years.

About 260.000 respondents participated in the survey 2023:

  • 102.868 4th and 5th graders from comprehensive schools (since 2017)
  • 90.981 8th and 9th graders from comprehensive schools (since 1996)
  • 44.862 1st and 2nd graders from general upper secondary schools (since 1999)
  • 21.371 1st and 2nd graders from vocational institutions (since 2008)

The study reached 83% of the age group in 4th ah 5th grades, 73% in the 8th and 9th grades and 68% in general upper secondary schools and 31% in vocational institutions.

The SHP study data collection has been assessed by Institutional review board of The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2022. 

The questionnaire

The data are gathered by an anonymous and voluntary classroom-administered questionnaire. The topics of the questionnaire are living conditions, school work, health, health-related behaviour and school health services. The questionnaire is continuously being developed. Still, many of the questions have remained the same for over 20 years, so as to maintain comparability.
The questionnaires

Reports and results of the study

See the main results in statistical reports:

The results are presented at different levels. Regional and national results are made available in:
Sotkanet.fi - Statistical information on welfare and health in Finland.

The SHP data has also been used in many scientific articles.
See publications (in Finnish)

Utilisation of the results

The study gives an opportunity to monitor trends and assess differences between genders and areas. In school settings, the results can be utilised in the planning and evaluating of health education and co-operation between different professionals and students. The results are also utilised in research and in different welfare programs, strategies and policies.

Updated: