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Geographical Locations - Sweden
 The WWW Virtual Library: Public Health
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Country Information
- (Statistical) Number of Inhabitants per Doctor: 395
- CIA World Factbook : Sweden
Organisations and Networks
UN and Multinational
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Non-Government
Academic Institutions
National Policy and Related Documents
- Sweden’s strategy report for social protection and social inclusion: 2008 – 2010
"Every three years the Member States report to the EU Commission on which measures they have taken and plan to take to help achieve the common EU objectives for social security and social inclusion. On 30 September 2008 the Government submitted Sweden's strategy report on social security and social inclusion 2008-2010 to the EU Commission. The report contains: National action plan for social inclusion, 2008-2010; National strategy for pensions; and National strategy for health and medical care, and care of the elderly."
- The national public health strategy for Sweden in brief
"The overall aim of Swedish public health policy [c2007] is to create social conditions that will ensure good health for the entire population. The Swedish Riksdag adopted in April 2003 a national health policy stipulating eleven general objectives that cover the most important determinants of Swedish public health."
Reports, Guidelines, and Projects
- Coordination between primary and secondary healthcare in Denmark and Sweden
Introduction: Insights into effective policy strategies for improved coordination of care is needed. In this study we describe and compare the policy strategies chosen in Denmark and Sweden, and discuss them in relation to interorganisational network theory. Policy practice: The policy initiatives to improve collaboration between primary and secondary healthcare in Denmark and Sweden include legislation and agreements aiming at clarifying areas of responsibility and defining requirements, creation of links across organisational boarders. In Denmark many initiatives have been centrally induced, while development of local solutions is more prominent in Sweden. Many Danish initiatives target the administrative level, while in Sweden initiatives are also directed at the operational level. In both countries economic incentives for collaboration are weak or lacking, and use of sanctions as a regulatory mean is limited. Discussion and conclusion: Despite a variety of policy initiatives, lacking or poorly developed structures to support implementation function as barriers for coordination. The two cases illustrate that even in two relatively coherent health systems, with regional management of both the hospital and general practice sector, there are issues to resolve in regard to administrative and operational coordination. The interorganisational network literature can provide useful tools and concepts for interpreting such issues. [author abstract] [International Journal of Integrated Care – Vol. 9, 12 March 2009]
- Differences in socioeconomic and gender inequalities in tobacco smoking in Denmark and Sweden; a cross sectional comparison of the equity effect of different public health policies
Background: Denmark and Sweden are considered to be countries of rather similar socio-political type, but public health policies and smoking habits differ considerably between the two neighbours. A study comparing mechanisms behind socioeconomic inequalities in tobacco smoking, could yield information regarding the impact of health policy and -promotion in the two countries. Methods: Cross-sectional comparisons of socioeconomic and gender differences in smoking behaviour among 6 995 Danish and 13 604 Swedish persons aged 18-80 years. Results: The prevalence of smoking was higher in Denmark compared to Sweden. The total attributable fraction (TAF) of low education regarding daily smoking was 36% for Danish men and 35% for Danish women, and 32% and 46%, respectively, for Swedish men and women. TAF of low education regarding continued smoking were 16.2% and 15.8% for Danish men and women, and 11.0% and 18.8% for Swedish men and women, respectively The main finding of the study was that the socioeconomic patterning of smoking, based on level of education and expressed as the relative contribution to the total burden of smoking exposure, was rather different in Sweden and Denmark. Moreover, these differences were modified by gender and age. As a general pattern, socioeconomic differences in Sweden tended to contribute more to the total burden of this habit among women, especially in the younger age groups. In men, the patterns were much more similar between the two countries. Regarding continued smoking/unsuccessful quitting, the patterns were similar for women, but somewhat different for men. Here we found that socioeconomic differences contributed more to overall continued smoking in Danish men, especially in the middle-age and older age strata. Conclusion: The results imply that Swedish anti-smoking policy and/or implemented measures have been less effective in a health equity perspective among the younger generation of women, but more effective among men, compared to Danish policy implementation. The results also raises the more general issue regarding the possible need for a trade-off principle between overall population efficacy versus equity efficacy of anti-tobacco, as well as general public health policies and intervention strategies. [BMC Public Health 2010, 10: 9]
- Getting better value for moeny for Sweden's healthcare system
"This paper reviews the strengths and weaknesses of of the Swedish healthcare system and the challenges that it will face in the future. It discusses ways to improve access to primary care, including different methods for paying GPs, whether access is less equitable than in other countries and the role of patient fees. The maximum waiting time guarantee for elective surgery is reviewed, along with ways of reducing regional variations in quality..."
- Health Systems in Transition Report Sweden
The Health Systems in Transition profiles are country-based reports that provide a detailed description of a health system and of reform and policy initiatives in progress or under development in a specific country. Each profile is produced by country experts in collaboration with the European Observatory on Health System’s research directors and staff. Health Systems in Transition profiles seek to provide relevant information to support policy-makers and analysts in the development of health systems in Europe.
- Evidence-based health promotion for children and adolescents in Stockholm county
"The purpose of this report is to give people working within health care, municipalities and voluntary organisation, as well as others who might be interested, an up-to-date account of the health status of children and adolescents and of useful methods for preventing ill-health and promoting health among children and adolescents in Stockholm county."
- Key factors influencing adoption of an innovation in primary health care: a qualitative study based on implementation theory
Background: Bridging the knowledge-to-practice gap in health care is an important issue that has gained interest in recent years. Implementing new methods, guidelines or tools into routine care, however, is a slow and unpredictable process, and the factors that play a role in the change process are not yet fully understood. There is a number of theories concerned with factors predicting successful implementation in various settings, however, this issue is insufficiently studied in primary health care (PHC). The objective of this article was to apply implementation theory to identify key factors influencing the adoption of an innovation being introduced in PHC in Sweden. Methods: A qualitative study was carried out with staff at six PHC units in Sweden where a computer-based test for lifestyle intervention had been implemented. Two different implementation strategies, implicit or explicit, were used. Sixteen focus group interviews and two individual interviews were performed. In the analysis a theoretical framework based on studies of implementation in health service organizations, was applied to identify key factors influencing adoption. Results: The theoretical framework proved to be relevant for studies in PHC. Adoption was positively influenced by positive expectations at the unit, perceptions of the innovation being compatible with existing routines and perceived advantages. An explicit implementation strategy and positive opinions on change and innovation were also associated with adoption. Organizational changes and staff shortages coinciding with implementation seemed to be obstacles for the adoption process. Conclusion: When implementation theory obtained from studies in other areas was applied in PHC it proved to be relevant for this particular setting. Based on our results, factors to be taken into account in the planning of the implementation of a new tool in PHC should include assessment of staff expectations, assessment of the perceived need for the innovation to be implemented, and of its potential compatibility with existing routines. Regarding context, we suggest that implementation concurrent with other major organizational changes should be avoided. The choice of implementation strategy should be given thorough consideration. [author abstract] [BMC Family Practice 2010, 11: 60 - Published: 23 August 2010]
- Sickness absence poses a threat to the Swedish Welfare State: a cross-sectional study of sickness absence and self-reported illness
Background: The increasing cost of public social sickness insurance poses a serious economic threat to the Swedish welfare state. In recent years, expenditures for social insurance in general, as well as social sickness insurance in particular, have risen steeply in Sweden. This cross-sectional study analyzed the association between sickness absence (SA) and self-reported reduced working capacity due to a longstanding illness (>3 months), as well between SA and a number of other health problems. Methods: Self-reported data on longstanding illness and resultant reduced working capacity, socioeconomic factors, working environment, psychosomatic complaints, anxiety, and general health were obtained for 22,281 employed (paid) persons aged 25 to 64 years. These data were retrieved from the Swedish Living Conditions Survey for 1995 to 2002. National civic registration numbers, replaced with serial numbers to ensure anonymity, were used to link these data to individual-level SA records from the National Social Insurance Board. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio of the main outcome variable for the three levels of the SA variable (0–28, 29–90, >90 days/year). Results: There was an obvious increasing gradient in length of SA and increasing odds of reporting reduced working capacity. Odds ratios ranged from 3.5 to 19.0; i.e., those with more than ninety days of SA had 19.0 times higher odds of reporting reduced working capacity than those with 0–28 days of SA a year. This very strong association changed less than 10% after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and working environment characteristics. A total of 48.7% of persons on sick leave ≥ 29 days reported no longstanding illness and reduced working capacity. Of these persons, about 43% reported one or more other health problem. Conclusion: We confirmed that longstanding illness that results in self-reported reduced working capacity is an important variable related to length of SA, even after taking important confounders into consideration. We found a little less than half of those on sick leave reported no reduced working capacity due to longstanding illness, and some of these reported no other health problems. However, it is possible that some respondents had health problems not captured in the survey. [author abstract] [BMC Public Health 2007, 7:45]
- Social change and health in Sweden - 250 years of politics and practice
"The impressive improvements in health for the Swedish population during the last two and a half centuries can be ascribed to many reasons. There has been a multifold of important public health measures including the regular collection of vital statistics from 1749 on a national level through the state church, which also played an important role in the early and widespread vaccination coverage against smallpox. Preventive mother and child care, access to health care free of charge, restrictive alcohol policy, accident prevention in several sectors and anti-tobacco campaigns have also been important. However, the increased living standard due to universal welfare policy strategies including social security, high educational standard, high degree of employment for women and men, regional and housing subsidies, appears to be equally or even more important." This report looks at the history of public health services in Sweden, from pre-Enlightenment to the present day, and examines what has been learnt during this period.
Educational Resources
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