Public Health Monitoring and Policy Development in Finland

Organisation type

Public administration at national level

Use case area

Health
Population and society

Geographic scope

Finland

Domain

Governance and implementation
Society

Challenge:

Finland is addressing the need to effectively monitor and improve public health outcomes across the country with their Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach. The core aim of this approach is to improve public health by impacting the determinants of health that the health sector has little control over. A big part of this involves having comprehensive, accurate, and accessible health data to support research, policy-making, and public health interventions. Under the HiAP approach, local authorities play a crucial role and are making decisions based on data and statistical analysis.

Approach:

Researchers use the data that is made publicly available by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) to understand the health status of the population of Finland, identify trends, and address health disparities. The data is collected from registers (administrative health registers in Finland cover a wide range of data over a person’s entire life span, including mortality, morbidity, use of health services, and health-related benefits) and surveys (both Health Examination Surveys (HESs) and Health Interview Surveys (HISs) are carried out at regular intervals. These surveys provide information on self-reported health behaviours, health status, diseases, health service needs, and service utilisation). Then, the data is analysed to identify and develop Key Health Indicators. After this is done, the data is made available through various open-access data portals that support municipalities in health monitoring. These portals provide register- and survey-based data, and the information is updated annually. The data is then used to evaluate existing policies and set new targets if needed. It helps in identifying public health problems, strengths, and target population groups at the national, regional, and local levels. The information is also used for monitoring the health of residents and reporting to municipal councils. This helps in better management and planning of health and welfare services and in developing and evaluating health promotion activities.

Outcomes:

Finland's health data approach has led to significant improvements in public health through the Health in All Policies (HiAP) strategy and enhanced health monitoring systems. The comprehensive data collected supports informed policymaking, helping to identify and address health inequalities based on socioeconomic status and region. Efforts to provide universal healthcare access have been strengthened, although some challenges remain compared to other Nordic countries. Municipalities utilise local health data for better management and planning of health and welfare services, leading to more effective and targeted health promotion actions. National surveys indicate progress in reducing chronic disease risk factors, such as smoking, while also identifying increases in other health issues like depressive disorders. The data supports ongoing social welfare and healthcare reforms aimed at reducing health inequities and managing rising costs. Finnish experts contribute to the development of European health indicators and monitoring systems, promoting best practices internationally. Open access data portals ensure that the public and policymakers have easy access to health information, facilitating transparency and accountability. Overall, Finland's approach emphasises continuous improvement in data collection and utilisation to effectively address emerging health challenges.

Data Source:

The data is sourced from national health surveys, health checks, and public health monitoring programmes conducted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). The datasets are made available through THL's open data platform, allowing for broad access and use by researchers, policymakers, and the public.

Additional Information:

Point of Contact:

infothl [dot] fi (info[at]thl[dot]fi)