Study title

Welfare and Inequality in Finland 2022

Dataset ID Number

FSD3999

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3999
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd3999

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Niemelä, Mikko (University of Turku. Department of Social Research)

Abstract

The survey charted Finnish people's opinions on and experiences of welfare and inequality. The study was part of a project entitled Inequalities, Interventions and a New Welfare State (INVEST) and it was funded by the Academy of Finland.

First, respondents were asked how well they felt they were achieving their goals in life and how they perceived their social status. In addition, the survey examined whether respondents felt mostly happy or downcast, whether they trusted other people, how they felt about their state of mind, and how satisfied or dissatisfied they were with their lives.

Next, respondents were asked whether they had received social assistance (minimum income scheme) and how well they felt they were able to cover their living expenses. After that, they were asked about the safety of their neighborhood and the city center. Finally, they were asked about social security, their sense of well-being, and how the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have affected their well-being.

Background variables included respondent's gender, year of birth, household composition, household characteristics, housing tenure, level of education, occupational status, household income and expenses, NUTS3 region of residence and which party the respondent would vote for if parliamentary elections were held now.

Keywords

quality of life; satisfaction; social disadvantage; social inequality; social security; social stratification; standard of living; well-being (health)

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Equality, inequality and social exclusion (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• General health and well-being (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Social conditions and indicators (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Welfare and Inequality in Finland

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

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

Data Collector

• Suomen Kyselytutkimus

Funders

• Academy of Finland (320162)

Time Period Covered

2022

Collection Dates

2022-12 – 2023-01

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Finnish-speaking people aged 18-79 living in mainland Finland

Time Method

Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Probability: Stratified: Proportional

The sample was selected using proportional stratified sampling with the regions of residence as strata. The respondents were selected from each stratum using simple random sampling.

Collection Mode

Telephone interview: Computer-assisted (CATI)

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI) (Most of the data was collected through telephone interviews (N=1799), but it was supplemented with an online panel survey targeting people under the age of 35 (N=501).)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

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

People aged over 65 are underrepresented in the data, but the weight variable adjusts the representativeness of the data.

To reduce identifiability, variables describing the number of persons and children in the household, as well as the household's income and expenditure, have been TOP-coded at FSD. In addition, open-ended variables of the 'other, what” type (t4muu, t8muu, t12muu) were removed from the data at FSD.

Weighting

The data includes a weight variable (weight). The data has been weighted to correspond to the age and gender distributions of the population.

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

Niemelä, Mikko (University of Turku): Welfare and Inequality in Finland 2022 [dataset]. Data version 1.0 (2025-09-18). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd3999; URN: https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3999

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

Laaninen, Markus, Niemelä, Mikko (2023) Koettu yksinäisyys Suomessa 2016-2022. Yhteiskuntapolitiikka 88(3), 237-247.

Related Publications

Laaninen, Markus & Niemelä, Mikko (2023). Koettu yksinäisyys Suomessa 2016-2022. Yhteiskuntapolitiikka 88 (2023):3, 237-247. https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2023061454918

Koivula, Aki & Laaninen, Markus & Niemelä, Mikko (2025) Changes in Subjective Well-Being and its Mechanisms during Times of Crises. Social Indicators Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-025-03594-x

Niemelä, Mikko & Laaninen, Markus (2024) Suomalaisten koettu hyvinvointi kriisien aikana. Teoksessa Anna Rajavuori (toim.) Eriarvoisuuden tila Suomessa 2024. Kalevi Sorsa -säätiö ja Into Kustannus: Helsinki, 47-72.

Saari, Juho (2025) Ihmisiä yhteiskunnan portailla. Eriarvoisuus statusyhteiskunnassa. Gaudeamus: Helsinki.