Over 70 percent of people in Finland are diagnosed with a mental health, behavioural, or neurodevelopmental disorder by the age of 100, according to new research from the University of Helsinki.
The study analysed health records of all Finnish residents aged 1 to 100 from 2000 to 2020. It found that 77 percent of women and 70 percent of men receive a diagnosis. When excluding memory disorders and mental health conditions related to physical illnesses, the figures fall to 66 percent for women and 60 percent for men.
The most common diagnoses are anxiety and mood disorders. Among mood disorders, depression is the most frequently reported.
Boys are typically diagnosed first around the age of six, often with neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD. Girls are usually diagnosed later, between the ages of 15 and 19, most often with anxiety or mood disorders.
The researchers based their analysis on a statistical model assuming a lifespan of 100 years. This approach allowed for projections across the entire population.
Kimmo Suokas, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, said the findings reflect how common mental health challenges are in Finland.
“Mental health issues affect most people during their lives, either personally or through someone close,” he said in a statement.
Christian Hakulinen, associate professor at the same university, noted the study included data from both primary and specialist healthcare sources. This allowed for broader coverage than previous studies, which often relied on narrower samples.
The researchers said there is no definitive data on whether the rate of diagnoses has increased over time. They said the expansion of treatment services and a lower threshold for seeking help may explain the high figures.
Hakulinen and Suokas also pointed to wider discussion of mental health in public forums and reduced stigma as possible contributing factors.
“There are a lot of shared stories about mental health issues in the media,” said Hakulinen.
The definition of what qualifies as a mental health disorder has also changed over time. This has complicated comparisons with past rates.
For example, only about 1.2 percent of the Finnish population was classified as mentally ill under definitions used in the 1930s. Since then, the understanding and classification of mental health conditions have broadened.
The study used the ICD-10 diagnostic system to define mental, behavioural, and neurodevelopmental disorders. These include substance use disorders, psychoses, personality disorders, developmental disorders such as ADHD, and dementias.
Researchers cited similar findings from other countries. In Denmark and New Zealand, over 80 percent of the population receive such diagnoses over their lifetimes.
The World Health Organization has recently shifted its terminology, increasingly referring to “mental health problems” rather than strictly “mental disorders,” in recognition of the wide range of psychological challenges affecting individuals.
HT
