Study title

Impacts of the COVID-19 Crisis in Finnish Parishes 2020

Dataset ID Number

FSD3507

Persistent identifier

urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3507

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Salomäki, Hanna (Church Research Institute)

Abstract

The survey charted the experiences of employees and elected officials of the parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland in different parts of Finland during the COVID-19 crisis. The survey was conducted by the Church Research Institute in April 2020. 298 church employees and elected officials responded to the survey. The largest respondent groups were pastors/priests, diaconal workers, and youth work leaders.

First, the respondents were asked whether their parish had adopted any new ways of carrying out their activities during the COVID-19 crisis (e.g. streaming church services online, home delivering food aid, increasing the amount of phone and online discussion help) and whether the crisis had left the parish with more people in need than before. Views were surveyed on whether the occurrence of several negative phenomena had increased among children, young people, people of working age, and pensioners in the parish. The phenomena included, for example, increases in substance abuse, mental health problems, and feelings of uncertainty. Next, the respondents were asked whether various subjects, such as reflections on a possible connection of the COVID-19 pandemic to end times and prophecies, had come up during discussions when people contacted the parish. Finally, the respondents' views were examined with open-ended questions on the most common causes of concern in the parishes at present as well as other potentially concerning phenomena that might emerge in the upcoming weeks or months.

Background variables included the respondent's role in the parish (employee or elected official).

Keywords

COVID-19; anxiety; bacterial and virus diseases; church; employees; religious beliefs; religious personnel; well-being (health)

Topic Classification

• Humanities (Fields of Science Classification)
• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Religion and values (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Working conditions (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Public health (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Social conditions and indicators (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Talola, Nina (Church Research Institute)

Time Period Covered

2020

Collection Dates

2020-04-09 – 2020-04-14

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Employees and elected officials in the parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Non-probability: Availability

All church employees and elected officials who had provided their contact information for the Church Research Institute internet panel (531 persons) had an opportunity to respond to the survey. The employees and elected officials had independently registered as members of the panel.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

56

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Data Version

1.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

To prevent identification of respondents, any identifiers in the open-ended responses were anonymised at FSD. Changes made at FSD were marked with [square brackets].

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Salomäki, Hanna (Church Research Institute): Impacts of the COVID-19 Crisis in Finnish Parishes 2020 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2021-09-15). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3507

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Materials

Salomäki, Hanna (2020). Seurakunnat ja koronakriisi [verkkodokumentti]. Raportti 13.5.2020. Tampere: Kirkon tutkimuskeskus.

Related Publications

Salomäki, Hanna: Seurakunnat ja koronakriisi [verkkodokumentti]. Raportti 13.5.2020. Tampere: Kirkon tutkimuskeskus. https://evl.fi/documents/1327140/50112189/Seurakunnat+ja+koronakriisi+2020.pdf/69a939cd-e0c2-4803-9422-af53ca80c4db?t=1590475691191 [viitattu 9.2.2021]

Salminen, Veli-Matti (2021): Seurakuntatyö pitkittyneessä poikkeustilassa. Raportti kirkon työntekijöiden ja luottamushenkilöiden koronakyselystä 2021. https://evl.fi/documents/1327140/50112189/Raportti+KTK+koronakyselyst%C3%A4+2021_Saavutettava2.pdf/8bbd3528-7bb1-1ccb-acac-12604e78abf2?t=1615545968213

Salminen, Veli-Matti (2021): "Tärkeintä lienee toivo". Kirjoitus Maan suola -verkkolehdessä 11.3.2021. https://maansuola.fi/tarkeinta-lienee-toivo/

Salminen, Veli-Matti (2021): Mitä koronakriisi merkitsi seurakuntien toimintakulttuurille? Kirjoitus Dino-verkkolehdessä 6.6.2021. https://dinolehti.fi/2021/06/mita-koronakriisi-merkitsi-seurakuntien-toimintakulttuurille/