The adult population’s well-being, health and services – FinSote 2020

Regional differences in the service experiences and well-being of adults – increase in psychological distress during coronavirus second wave.

There are differences between wellbeing services counties in the psychological distress of the population and the population’s access to health services. Significant psychological distress is most common in Helsinki (17%), Pirkanmaa (16%) and Päijät-Häme, and least prevalent in Central Ostrobothnia (10%).

Psychological distress has become slightly more common: In 2020, 14 per cent of the adult population in Finland reported having experienced psychological distressed, compared to 12 per cent in 2018. When examining wellbeing services counties, psychological distress has become statistically significant in Kymenlaakso, Päijät-Häme, Pirkanmaa, Central Finland, Ostrobothnia and Kainuu.

In 2020, one in five people who needed doctor’s appointment services felt that they had received insufficient services. When comparing the situations in 2020 and 2018, the proportion of those who received insufficient services increased in terms of doctor’s, nurse’s and dentist’s services. When reviewing the situation in the entire country, the change was the biggest in dentist services (24% vs. 19 %).

The increase in the share of those who have received insufficient health services compared to their needs seems to be concentrated in the areas worst hit by the coronavirus epidemic. For example, in Uusimaa the proportion of those getting inadequate medical services was 22 percent in 2020 while the corresponding figure in 2018 was 16 percent.

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Graph showing results for the wellbeing counties. — Share of people who have experienced significant psychological distress (%) by wellbeing service county in 2020.

Tables

Background information

Description of the statistic

The adult population’s well-being, health and services -statistic describes the well-being and health of the Finnish adult population and social and health care services by region and population group. The statistics are produced from a sample-based national survey on health, well-being and services (FinSote), which was carried out for the first time in 2018.

The data are collected using surveys that can be answered as by post or online. The nationally representative sample of the study consists of the population who permanently resides in Finland and is aged 20 or over. The study has no upper age limit. In 2020 the survey was sent to 61,600 people using data from the Population Information System.

The results of the FinSote 2020 study are largely comparable with the results of the FinSote 2018 study, as the data collection method and several research questions have remained almost the same in both studies. Data collection for FinSote 2020 was carried out during the coronavirus epidemic and the resulting emergency conditions. The impact of the epidemic and its restrictive measures on people's daily lives and experiences should be taken into account when comparing the results from 2018 and 2020.

Source

Aikuisväestön hyvinvointi, terveys ja palvelut – FinSote 2020
Vuxenbefolkningens hälsa, välfärd och service – FinSote 2020
The adult population’s well-being, health and services – FinSote 2020

Statistical report 16/2021, 1st June 2021.
The adult population’s well-being, health and services. THL.