Mental health dominates student healthcare visits in Finland, Kela study reveals
A new registry study by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) shows that mental health problems were the primary reason for over 40 percent of visits to the Finnish Student Health Service (YTHS) during the academic year 2023–2024. The study, which examined healthcare service usage among higher education students for the first time, highlights significant gender differences in how students access medical care.
Ilta-Sanomat (IS) reports that women were far more likely than men to seek care through YTHS, with one in four female students attending a YTHS doctor’s appointment compared to just one in eight male students. Meanwhile, male students more frequently used occupational healthcare services instead of YTHS. Women, however, utilized YTHS, occupational healthcare, and health center services almost equally.
According to Yle, nearly half of all students used at least one other healthcare provider alongside YTHS during the same period. The study analyzed six types of services, including health centers, emergency care, specialized outpatient clinics, occupational healthcare, and private medical services. While men accessed health center services as often as YTHS, women distributed their usage more evenly across YTHS, occupational healthcare, and health centers.
YTHS CEO Annika Saarikko attributed the strain on student healthcare services to higher-than-expected student numbers during the 2023–2024 academic year. "Students’ mental health problems have been increasing continuously. It may be that the resourcing challenges are reflected precisely in the use of services during this academic year," Saarikko stated in Kela’s press release (IS).
The study also found that 87 percent of female students and 71 percent of male students used some form of primary healthcare at least once during the academic year (IS). While mental health concerns dominated YTHS visits, the data underscores broader trends in how different student groups navigate Finland’s healthcare system.
