Title: Text: Finnish Health Care
Course: Study PrepProg Introduction Social Services, Health Care and Professional English, Part 1 > Section: 1. Class: English

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Introduction

The Finnish welfare state is characterised by a universal right to social welfare and health care services. The scope, accessibility and quality of healthcare services have been developed systematically over the last decades. Preventive, equal primary health care and specialised medical care services as well as environmental health care are essential elements of the social welfare and health care system.
The objective is a socially sustainable society. This requires that everyone is treated fairly, that social inclusion and participation are encouraged, that everyone’s health and functional capacity are promoted and that support and services are available.
In order to achieve a socially sustainable society, welfare and health inequalities between citizens must be reduced and the status of the most
vulnerable improved. The focus must be shifted to promoting health and functional capacity, preventing social and health-related problems and treating illnesses to active promotion of well-being. Health aspects relating to the status of the living environment should also be factored into all social decision-making. Reforming the structure and content of social welfare and healthcare services is one of society’s most important goals in the coming years.

Health among Finns

Health among Finns has improved in the 21st century. At the same time, life expectancy has increased continuously. Welfare and health inequalities between population groups, on the other hand, have remained unchanged or even grown slightly. The differences are evident in the mortality, sickness rates, functional capacity and perceived health between socioeconomic groups, regions and the sexes.

POPULATION:

■ Finland’s population was approximately 5.4 million in 2012.
■ The biggest change in the demographic structure is ageing.
■ The over-65s accounted for 13.5 per cent of the population in 1990.
The percentage rose to 17.5 in 2010.
■ A Finnish woman gives birth to 1.83 children on average, which is above
the European average (2011).
■ Life expectancy among Finns has increased by approximately 25 years
in less than a century. Life expectancy is 76 years for men and 82 years for women.

New kinds of diseases becoming more common

Many diseases that have traditionally been common among Finns have decreased but new kinds of health problems have taken their place. Lifestyle-related diseases are increasing. The percentage of overweight adolescents has tripled in the last 30 years. Only one in three gets
enough exercise. The most common endemic disease among Finns is diabetes with more than half a million sufferers. Type 2 diabetes is also found in children. Type 1 diabetes is considerably more common in Finland than anywhere else in the world.
The most common musculoskeletal diseases are back problems, hip and knee osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.
The number of cancer patients has increased slightly, but the prognosis has improved continuously. The most common forms of cancer are prostate cancer among men and breast cancer among women. Deaths resulting from accident injuries at work and traffic accident injuries have decreased but deaths resulting from home and leisure accident injuries have become more common. Approximately 900,000 accident injuries happen in Finland per year. Other growing health problems are allergies and dementia. Approximately one in four
people aged 75 and over will need care due to dementia in the coming years.

Mental health disorders and substance abuse

Mental disorders are among the most common reasons for disability for work. Approximately one in two people on a disability pension are unable to work due to mental disorders and diseases resulting from substance abuse (2010). The most common reason is depression.
Alcohol consumption has grown since the tax cut in 2004 and the abolishment of import restrictions, which is why alcohol-related problems and deaths have increased. In addition to high total per-capita consumption (10 litres of pure alcohol/resident/year), binge drinking is also a problem. Finland has between 300,000 and 500,000 high-risk alcohol users. Smoking has decreased among both young people and the working-age population, but differences between socioeconomic groups are substantial. Of the total population, just under one in five women and approximately one in four men smoke daily.

Factors affecting health

Healthcare services can improve population health. Many other factors, such as living and working conditions, education, income and lifestyle, living environment and culture, health behaviour and social inclusion, also play a considerable role. By influencing these factors, population health can be significantly improved and socioeconomic inequalities in health reduced. Legislation, tax policies and the targeting of services are important means.

Guidance, provision and funding of healthcare

According to the Constitution of Finland, public authorities must guarantee for everyone adequate social, medical and health services and promote the health of the population. Finland’s social welfare and health care system is founded on government-subsidised municipal social welfare and health care services. In addition to the public sector, many private enterprises and non-governmental organisations also provide services.

Local authorities are responsible for organising the provision of social welfare and health care services. They can organise the provision of services independently or form joint municipal authorities with each other. In addition, local authorities can outsource the provision of ser-
vices to other local authorities, a non-governmental organisation or a private service provider. The basic social welfare, public health and specialised medical care services that must be available in every municipality are defined by law. Local authorities can decide the scale, scope and model of municipal service provision within the limits of legislation. This is why the services available can vary from one municipality to another. Operations and services are mostly funded by municipal tax revenue.

                                                                               Brochures of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2eng (2013)