Photo: Michael Erhardsson, Mostphotos

Drunk driving continues to be a significant cause of fatal traffic accidents in Finland, with 283 alcohol-intoxicated drivers causing fatal accidents between 2017 and 2021, resulting in the deaths of 308 people. In addition to the drunk drivers, the fatalities also included 20 bystanders in other vehicles, six cyclists, and three pedestrians, as well as 43 intoxicated passengers. According to a recent OTI drug report, the number of fatal crashes caused by drug-impaired drivers has been on the rise in the past four years.

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Many procedures are performed quantitatively, such as caesarean sections, tonsillectomies, adenoidectomies, and cataract surgeries, but patient injury reports are rarely made for these. Picture: Yuri Arcurs, Mostphotos

A recent Finnish registry study has reported a declining trend in patient injuries related to surgical procedures over a five-year period. The frequency of patient injuries was measured as the number of compensation claims per 1000 surgeries. The study showed a decline from 2.5 claims per 1000 surgeries in 2011-2015 to 1.9 in 2023. The report evaluated the safety of surgical procedures and was published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal in February 2023.

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An election official stamped a voting slip on the last day of advance voting in Vantaa on Tuesday, 28 March 2023. Finns took advantage of the advance voting period in record-high numbers, casting a total of 1,709,119 votes, according to data from the Ministry of Justice. (Emmi Korhonen – Lehtikuva)

FINNS took advantage of the newly concluded advance voting period in record-high numbers.

Data from the Ministry of Justice indicate that a total of 1,719,424 votes were cast during the seven-day advance voting period that ended at 8pm on Tuesday, 28 March. The number translates to a voter turnout of 40.2 per cent, an increase of roughly four percentage points from the closing of advance voting before the 2019 parliamentary elections.

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Maintenance fees for apartment buildings are increasing rapidly in Finland, according to a survey conducted by the Finnish Real Estate Federation. The survey revealed that more than 20% of housing companies are threatened by the increase in maintenance costs, with just over 2% facing significant risk. Although the majority of housing companies believe their financial situation is stable, the cost of living varies significantly from municipality to municipality.

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LEHTIKUVA

According to the 'Digital 2023 Finland' research report by media monitoring software company Meltwater and We Are Social, nearly 98 percent of Finns use the internet, and over 83 percent use social media channels. The speeds of mobile connections have grown by almost 34 percent over the last year, and fixed connection speeds have increased by almost 10 percent.

The report shows that Finland continues to be at the forefront of digital development compared to many other countries

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Strike picketers in the terminal of Viking Line in Helsinki on 17 March 2023. A third strike by cleaning and property maintenance professionals was averted by a last-minute deal late on Wednesday between Service Union United (PAM) and Real Estate Employer. (Antti Hämäläinen – Lehtikuva)

SERVICE UNION UNITED (PAM) and Real Estate Employers reached an agreement late yesterday evening in their dispute over the terms and conditions of employment for cleaning and property maintenance professionals in Finland.

The breakthrough in what were described as difficult negotiations signals the cancellation of a two-day, 27,000-employee strike that was to take place between Thursday and Friday.

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A couple walking in the halls of a healthcare centre. LEHTIKUVA

40 percent of Finns received Kela reimbursements for private healthcare in 2022, according to a press release from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela). This represents a slight increase from the drop caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of those receiving Kela reimbursements for private healthcare were located in Varsinais-Suomi, Satakunta, and Helsinki.

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A woman receiving a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine. LEHTIKUVA

Finnish people are more receptive to health information that is based on statistical data than information that relies on the experiences of others, according to a recent study. However, neither approach reduced vaccine hesitancy. Researchers emphasized the importance of tailoring health communication to be more effective when the target audience disagrees with the information given and does not trust the sources.

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Care worker holding the hand of a patient. LEHTIKUVA

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Helsinki, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, and Tampere University has found that healthcare workers born abroad have fewer sick days on average than those born in Finland. The study compared sick leave among healthcare workers born in Finland and those born outside the country.

During a three-year follow-up period, 35% of healthcare workers born in Finland had at least one sick leave period lasting over ten days.

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An overhead view of the session hall in the National Assembly of Hungary on Monday, 27 March 2023. Hungarian lawmakers yesterday voted 182 for and 6 against ratifying the Finnish accession protocol to Nato, leaving Turkey as the lone holdout in what is already a 10-month process. (Attila Kisbenedek – AFP / Lehtikuva)

THE HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT on Monday approved the Finnish application to join Nato by a vote of 182 in favour and 6 against.

Helsingin Sanomat on Monday reported that all the ratification was opposed only by members of Our Homeland Movement, a far-right opposition party that believes expanding the defence alliance would geographically escalate Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.

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A retired couple gardening on their yard. LEHTIKUVA

The average monthly pension for Finns increased for the first time to over €1,800 last year, according to a recent statistics report from the Finnish Centre for Pensions and the Social Insurance Institution (Kela). The average monthly pension rose to €1,845 from €1,784 in the previous year, while the median pension was €1,614 per month. However, nearly 70% of pensioners received less than €2,000 per month, with the majority being women.

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Flag banners outside a campaign event of the National Coalition in Helsinki on 15 March 2023. The right-wing opposition party has been the most vocal advocate of fiscal adjustment in the next electoral term. (Antti Hämäläinen – Lehtikuva)

PUBLIC DEBT has kindled concerns among Finns.

YLE reported a week ago that public debt has become almost as big a cause of concern among the public as the climate crisis, citing a survey that drew responses from 2,012 Finns in January. The State Youth Council, meanwhile, has revealed that over half of 18–29-year-olds believe public debt should be reined in without delay irrespective of the kind of benefit and welfare cuts it would necessitate.

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LEHTIKUVA

Finland is facing an escalating shortage of skilled workers, according to a recent study by ManpowerGroup. The study found that 81% of Finnish employers are struggling to find the necessary skills to fill their job vacancies. This is up from 70% the previous year.

The shortage is most severe in Eastern Finland, where 85% of employers report difficulty finding the right talent.

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Blocks of flats in Kaarela, Helsinki, on 28 March 2023. The prices of old dwellings in housing companies fell particularly sharply in February in Helsinki, Vantaa and Espoo, according to preliminary data from Statistics Finland. (Emmi Korhonen – Lehtikuva)

HOUSE PRICES in Finland continued to fall sharply in February, according to preliminary data published by Statistics Finland.

The data reveal that the prices of old dwellings in housing companies decreased by 5.2 per cent year-on-year, driven particularly by drops in Helsinki, Vantaa and Espoo. The prices fell by 6.1 per cent in the capital region and by 5.5 per cent in the six largest cities, but by 4.4 per cent outside the six largest cities.

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Chairpersons Riikka Purra of the Finns Party, Sanna Marin of the Social Democrats and Petteri Orpo of the National Coalition attended an election debate organised by Helsingin Sanomat in Helsinki on Tuesday, 28 March 2023. The three parties are within 0.6 percentage points of one another, according to the latest opinion poll by the daily newspaper. (Heikki Saukkomaa – Lehtikuva)

PUBLIC SUPPORT for the National Coalition has continued to decrease, indicates the latest opinion poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat.

Support for the right-wing opposition party stands at 19.8 per cent with less than a week to go until the parliamentary elections, representing a drop of one percentage point from the poll published by the newspaper last week.

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LEHTIKUVA

As Western countries face a growing nursing shortage over the next decade, they will have to compete for healthcare professionals to fill the gap. The winners and losers in this race will depend on how well they attract and retain international healthcare workers.

Finland, like other Western countries, will likely have to compete for healthcare professionals from countries like the Philippines, India, and some African nations.

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