OECD ‘concerned’ over high suicide rates in Finland
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says in a new report that Finland should spend more money on mental health care services.
The report notes that Finland still has relatively high suicide rates.
There are large differences in provision of mental health care services across regions within Finland, according to the OECD’s new report Making Mental Health Care Count, but authorities have attempted to resolve these by innovations such as consultation by video link.
The report compares how healthcare systems in OECD countries treat mentally ill people, and finds that spending went down from 5.5 percent of the healthcare budget to 4.5 percent between 2000 and 2010. In 2012 it jumped again to 5.4 percent, which the report describes as ‘an encouraging sign’.
The report also says Finland has put in place services targeted at children and young people, but says that suicide rates remain high at 16.4 per 100,000 of population. That is despite a drop in suicide rates between 2000 and 2011.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Nunavut filmmakers turn the lens on suicide, CBC News
Finland: Accidents, suicide most common cause of children’s deaths in Finland, Yle News
Sweden: Sámi Healthiest in Arctic: But at what cost?, Radio Sweden
Russia: Why high suicide rates in Arctic Russia?, Deutsche Welle’s Ice-Blogger
United States: Suicide rates increase as Alaska communities are farther North, Alaska Dispatch
