The adult population's well-being and health – Healthy Finland survey 2022

The quality of life has decreased and psychological distress has increased for working-age people - at the same time access to a doctor was found increasingly difficult.

In 2022, almost one in four people who needed doctor's appointment services felt that they did not receive sufficient services to meet their needs. This means that there were more than 800,000 people in Finland who felt that doctor’s services were insufficient. The proportion increased significantly over the past four years: from 14 per cent to 23 per cent among men and from 17 per cent to 27 per cent among women.

There were differences between the wellbeing services counties in access to doctor’s and nurse’s services. The situation was the most difficult in North Karelia, Central Uusimaa and Kainuu, where more than 30 % of those who needed the services felt that they received insufficient doctor’s services to meet their needs. Compared to 2020, the unsatisfied need for doctor's and nurse’s services increased in almost all wellbeing services counties. The situation declined most in Central Uusimaa and North Karelia.

Download the full statistical report

The bar chart shows the results of the wellbeing services counties. — The share of people who received inadequate doctor's appointment services (%) in persons aged 20 and over who needed the services by wellbeing services county in 2022.

Tables

Background information

Description of the statistic

The adult population’s well-being and health statistics describes the well-being, health and experiences of health and social services of adults residing in Finland and changes that have taken place in them. The statistics are produced from the data of the sample-based Healthy Finland survey. The survey was implemented for the first time in 2022 and it combines the previous survey FinSote and the health examination study FinTerveys.

The data of the questionnaire part of the Healthy Finland survey are collected using questionnaire forms that can be answered by post or online. The respondents are at least 20 years old and have permanent residency in Finland. There is no upper age limit. In 2022, the survey was sent to 61,600 randomly selected people (total of 2,800/ wellbeing services county), based on the information of the Population Register Centre.

The results of the Healthy Finland 2022 survey are largely comparable with the results of the previous FinSote 2018 and 2020 surveys, as the data collection method and several research questions have remained almost the same in the surveys.

Source

Aikuisväestön hyvinvointi ja terveys – Terve Suomi 2022
Vuxenbefolkningens välfärd och hälsa – Undersökningen Hälsosamma Finland 2022
The adult population’s well-being and health – Healthy Finland Survey 2022

Statistical Report 45/2023, 30.6.2023.
The adult population’s well-being and health. THL.