Health in Pohjanmaa (Länsi-Suomi, Finland): official figures
With an age-standardised morbidity index of 88.7 in 2024 (Finland = 100), the Ostrobothnia region ranked 3rd lowest among Finland's 19 regions for the burden of illness.
How often do people see a doctor in Ostrobothnia?
Primary health care recorded 921 outpatient doctor visits per 1,000 residents of Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) in 2025, below the national figure of 1,056; that is 3rd lowest among Finland's 19 regions, down 21% from 1,163 in 2020.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow long is the wait for a doctor in Ostrobothnia?
In 2024, 53.3% of non-urgent primary care doctor appointments in Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) took place more than seven days after the need for care was assessed, above the national figure of 48.7%; that ranks 7th longest of the 18 with data.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyWhat is the flu vaccination rate in Ostrobothnia?
43.3% of people aged 65 or over in Ostrobothnia were vaccinated against influenza in the 2025 season, below the national figure of 59.6%; that is the lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people smoke in Ostrobothnia?
THL's Healthy Finland survey found that 7.7% of adults in Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) smoked daily in 2024, below the national figure of 9.1%; that is 6th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyWhat is the obesity rate in Ostrobothnia?
24.3% of adults in Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) were obese (body mass index of 30 or more) in 2024, below the national figure of 24.5%; that is 5th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow much do people drink in Ostrobothnia?
20.5% of adults in the Ostrobothnia region drank alcohol at a risky level by the AUDIT-C test in 2024, against 29.9% nationally.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow much alcohol is sold in Ostrobothnia?
Shops and licensed premises in the Ostrobothnia region sold 5.8 litres of pure alcohol per resident aged 18 or over in 2025, below the national figure of 7.2.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyWhat is the suicide rate in Ostrobothnia?
The Ostrobothnia region recorded 12.9 suicides per 100,000 residents in 2024, against 13.6 for Finland as a whole.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people get home care in Ostrobothnia?
Regular home care services reached 2.00% of residents of Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) in 2025, level with the national figure of 2.00%.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people work in healthcare in Ostrobothnia?
Health and social work provided 18.3% of all jobs located in Ostrobothnia in 2023, above the national figure of 18.1%.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow Pohjanmaa compares with other regions in Finland
THL morbidity index, age-standardised (Finland = 100) (2024)
Pohjanmaa ranks 17 of 19, highest first. Figures come from the wellbeing services counties; Uusimaa combines East, Central and West Uusimaa, Vantaa-Kerava and the City of Helsinki, weighted by population, and NUTS 2 figures combine their counties the same way.
| Rank | Area | THL morbidity index, age-standardised (Finland = 100) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Pirkanmaa | 101.8 |
| 14 | Päijät-Häme | 101.6 |
| 15 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 101.4 |
| 16 | Satakunta | 98.7 |
| 17 | Pohjanmaa | 88.7 |
| 18 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 88.4 |
| 19 | Åland | 67.7 |
Outpatient physician visits in primary health care per 1,000 residents (2025)
Pohjanmaa ranks 17 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Outpatient physician visits in primary health care per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 983 |
| 14 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 969 |
| 15 | Satakunta | 965 |
| 16 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 930 |
| 17 | Pohjanmaa | 921 |
| 18 | Päijät-Häme | 887 |
| 19 | Etelä-Karjala | 869 |
Non-urgent primary care physician visits with a wait of over 7 days (%) (2024)
Pohjanmaa ranks 7 of 18, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Non-urgent primary care physician visits with a wait of over 7 days (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Kanta-Häme | 60.2% |
| 5 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 55.9% |
| 6 | Keski-Suomi | 54.9% |
| 7 | Pohjanmaa | 53.3% |
| 8 | Etelä-Karjala | 52.8% |
| 9 | Kymenlaakso | 51.8% |
| 10 | Etelä-Savo | 51.4% |
Influenza vaccination coverage among people aged 65 or over (%) (2025)
Pohjanmaa ranks 19 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Influenza vaccination coverage among people aged 65 or over (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Pohjois-Karjala | 57.2% |
| 14 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 56.2% |
| 15 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 55.5% |
| 16 | Päijät-Häme | 53.7% |
| 17 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 49.3% |
| 18 | Åland | 46.4% |
| 19 | Pohjanmaa | 43.3% |
Daily smokers among adults (%) (2024)
Pohjanmaa ranks 14 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Daily smokers among adults (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Kainuu | 8.9% |
| 12 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 8.7% |
| 13 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 8.6% |
| 14 | Pohjanmaa | 7.7% |
| 15 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 7.6% |
| 16 | Keski-Suomi | 7.6% |
| 17 | Pirkanmaa | 7.4% |
Adults with obesity (BMI 30 or more) (%) (2024)
Pohjanmaa ranks 15 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Adults with obesity (BMI 30 or more) (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Pohjois-Karjala | 25.5% |
| 13 | Keski-Suomi | 25.3% |
| 14 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 24.7% |
| 15 | Pohjanmaa | 24.3% |
| 16 | Pirkanmaa | 23.0% |
| 17 | Åland | 22.7% |
| 18 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 21.0% |
More on Pohjanmaa: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Länsi-Suomi · Finland
Sources
- Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus): Regional time series 1987-2025 (table 142h, Municipal key figures database): population, housing, education, employment and jobs by NUTS region, region and municipality (PxWeb API POST query, json-stat2, years 2015-2025), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 18a97e220312…)
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet: Sotkanet indicator bank, REST API 1.1: 32 indicators (one exact JSON response per indicator, e.g. indicator=5761, plus the region list) on morbidity, primary care, lifestyle, social assistance, homelessness, county election turnout and the net operating costs of wellbeing services counties, 2015-2025, bundled in one zip, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e5b01db4f1e9…)
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