The prevalence of common diseases in Helsinki fell by 10 per cent between 2019 and 2025, with residents recording lower levels of illness than Finland as a whole, according to data published by the City of Helsinki. Differences between parts of the capital remain substantial despite the overall decline.
The reduction was driven in particular by declines in hypertension and coronary heart disease, the city said in a research review based on data from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Kela, and Statistics Finland.
In 2025, the prevalence of the most common diseases in Helsinki stood 21 per cent below the national level.
Researchers examined seven common diseases. Psychotic disorders were the only category with a slightly higher prevalence in Helsinki than across Finland. Coronary heart disease and hypertension showed the largest relative differences in Helsinki’s favour.
A separate morbidity index also recorded a decline. The measure combines data on disability, mortality and eligibility for medicine reimbursements. Disability recorded the largest decrease among those three components.
Helsinki scored 84 on the age-standardised morbidity index in 2025, compared with a national reference value of 100. Age standardisation allows comparisons between areas with different age profiles.
The city-level figures mask differences between Helsinki neighbourhoods.
Morbidity remained below the Helsinki average in the inner city and the northernmost parts of the capital. Nine of the city’s basic districts recorded levels substantially above the city average, even after researchers accounted for differences in residents’ ages.
The gap between areas also increased slightly. Changes in disability between 2023 and 2025 played a central role in the widening geographical differences, according to the review.
The City of Helsinki linked much of the variation to differences in the demographic and socioeconomic composition of neighbourhoods. Disease prevalence tends to be higher in areas where residents have lower incomes, connecting geographical health differences with disparities between population groups.
The findings point to differences in demand for health and social services across the capital. The city said services should be directed towards areas with greater needs alongside measures addressing health differences between population groups.
HT
