If Nordic Health Report 2024
For the second year in a row, If has asked 4 000 people in the Nordics about their perceived health, stress levels and work-life conditions.
Long-term stress has arisen at an alarming pace. In some cases stress affects work, and most employees feel they receive insufficient support from their employers. The Nordic Health Report aims to raise awareness and provide facts and good advice to encourage employers to act.
Key findings from the survey
Increase in Nordic stress levels
- 88 percent experience negative stress (84 percent 2023).
- More than half, 52 percent, of those experiencing negative stress have been stressed
for more than six months. That is a 30 percent increase from 2023 (40 percent). The
increase is steepest in Denmark (+58 percent) and Sweden (+42 percent). - Private issues (29 percent) and work-life balance (27 percent) are the most common
triggers of stress. 18 percent find that their stress is primarily driven by work, and 22
percent by their personal financial situation. - The most common consequence of stress is trouble sleeping. 65 percent experience
poor sleep quality – 69 percent in Finland. Other symptoms include anxiety (53
percent), problems with concentration (45 percent) or memory loss (33 percent). - 51 percent of the Nordic population experience that their ability to work has been
negatively affected by stress. Only 21 percent were sufficiently helped by their
employer.
People's health and welfare
- 42 percent across the Nordics do not trust that they will receive quick help from the public healthcare system if sick or injured. 44 percent are willing to pay for preventive health services, complementing the public healthcare commitment.
- Most people turned to the healthcare service last time their working ability was affected by problems with their mental wellbeing (47 percent). 18 percent turned to their manager. 16 percent didn't seek help at all.
- Those who partly work from home believe that it has a positive effect on their health. But they experience both short- and long-term negative stress to a higher degree than others.
- 1 in 4 have experienced demeaning treatment at work. Women and young people are overrepresented. Denmark has a higher degree of demeaning treatment than the other countries.
- 44 percent of the Nordic population work for employers that support physical activity. A quarter of all employees don’t use these opportunities at all.
- More than a third of the population (35 percent) worry about long-term sick leave. Norwegians are less worried than the others.
Gain insights from our experts
Watch a webinar recording and deep dive into the results of the survey.
This report is based on responses from 4 013 people in the Nordics between January 24th and February 5th, 2024. Norway (n=1 006), Sweden (n=1 003), Denmark (n=1 002) and Finland (n=1 002). The results are weighted for gender, age, and location to represent the population’s attitudes.