County in Sweden’s North has best mental health in country

Radio Sweden
Posted: Friday, October 10, 2014 at 15:39 — Last Updated: Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at 20:32
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Fireworks over Umea, the capital of Sweden's Västerbotten country. (iStock) — Fireworks over Umea, the capital of Sweden’s Västerbotten country. (iStock)

People living in Sweden’s northern county of Västerbotten enjoy the best mental health in Sweden, Swedish Radio News reports.

This is based on a mental health index compiled by the organization Mind, using statistics from the Swedish Public Health Agency and Statistics Sweden.

Among the factors included are the numbers of suicides per 100,000 inhabitants, as well as personal health evaluations.

The organization’s Secretary General, Carol von Essen, tells Swedish Radio News that the better showing in Västerbotten may be because the local health authorities there offer frequent medical examinations, and because of the area’s strong tradition of membership in clubs and other organizations.

But the study also reveals a strong link between mental health and unemployment. Solveig Landquist of the adult psychiatry unit in Västmanland county says there is connection between the area’s high incidence of suicide last year and the perceived risk of lay-offs, unemployment, or loss of unemployment benefits.