Authors

• International Social Survey Programme (ISSP)
• Blom, Raimo (University of Tampere. Department of Social Research)
• Melin, Harri (University of Tampere. Department of Social Research)
• Tanskanen, Eero (Statistics Finland. Interview and Survey Services)

Keywords

authority, community health services, complementary therapies, health, health policy, health services, labour and employment, physicians, private health services, state health services

Abstract

This study examined opinions on health policy and health services in Finland as well as the respondents' own state of health.

Questions relating to health and health services surveyed the respondents' satisfaction with life, trust in the Finnish education and health care systems and wished-for changes in the health care system. The respondents were asked how fair or unfair they thought that people with better income receive better education for their children and better healthcare, the extent to which they agreed with statements relating to health care system and how willing they would be to pay more taxes to improve the health care in Finland. The respondents were asked about public funding of different health measures, who should get treatment and whether there were people without access to medical treatment. Views were probed on the causes of severe health problems, which of two equally sick patients should get treatment first (on the grounds of smoking, age or children), alternative medicine and trust in doctors.

The respondents were asked about (mental and physical) symptoms experienced, treatment received, nights spent in hospital as an inpatient, reasons for forgoing medical treatment, and the probability of receiving the best possible treatment and treatment from the doctor of their choice. Satisfaction with the health care system as well as the latest treatment when visiting a doctor, an alternative health care practitioner and a hospital were investigated. Questions covered smoking and drinking habits, exercise and nutrition, perceived status of health, chronic illnesses and conditions, and height and weight. Other questions investigated the respondents' rights to Finnish public health care or occupational health care, whether they had an optional health insurance and how likely they thought it was they would receive free health care when ill.

The respondents were asked to what extent they agreed with some statements (e.g. "science and technology will, in the future, be able to solve the problems of today" and "a great deal of Finnish public services should be privatised in order to produce services more effectively") and how much authority and power different institutions and persons possessed in the Finnish society.

Background variables included, among others, the respondent's gender, age, level and length of education, status in employment, occupation, economic activity, marital status, spouse's status of employment and occupation, religious affiliation, political party choice in the previous parliamentary elections, household composition, monthly gross income, monthly gross household income and degree of urbanisation.