Young Swedes' mental health deteriorating: report
Swedish health authorities are growing increasingly concern about the mental health of the country’s young people, according to a new report.
In its latest report on Sweden’s public health, the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) warns that psychological problems are increasing among young people and women.
The number of suicide attempts by young people in Sweden has risen dramatically, the agency reports, and more and more youths are being admitted to hospitals for treatment of depression and anxiety.
Violence is also an increasing problem in Swedish society, the agency reports, with roughly one in ten residents having been subject to some sort of violence, threat, or harassment in 2006.
In addition, 15 percent of all single women with small children and 10 percent of all children have been subject to violence in their homes.
Each year, between 12,000 and 14,000 women seek medical treatment for injuries inflicted on them by their partners.
The agency also highlights significant differences among Sweden’s population when it comes to health and mortality.
According to Socialstyrelsen, single women in Sweden with children are more likely to have psychological problems, to smoke, and suffer from obesity.
Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are more common among people with lower levels of education, and low-educated women also have a lower chance of surviving breast cancer.
“An important goal of public health policy is to reduce the societal differences in health, but despite the differences remain. There is much left to do for both authorities and the health care system,” said Socialstyrelsen director general Lars-Erik Holm in a statement.
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In its latest report on Sweden’s public health, the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) warns that psychological problems are increasing among young people and women.
The number of suicide attempts by young people in Sweden has risen dramatically, the agency reports, and more and more youths are being admitted to hospitals for treatment of depression and anxiety.
Violence is also an increasing problem in Swedish society, the agency reports, with roughly one in ten residents having been subject to some sort of violence, threat, or harassment in 2006.
In addition, 15 percent of all single women with small children and 10 percent of all children have been subject to violence in their homes.
Each year, between 12,000 and 14,000 women seek medical treatment for injuries inflicted on them by their partners.
The agency also highlights significant differences among Sweden’s population when it comes to health and mortality.
According to Socialstyrelsen, single women in Sweden with children are more likely to have psychological problems, to smoke, and suffer from obesity.
Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are more common among people with lower levels of education, and low-educated women also have a lower chance of surviving breast cancer.
“An important goal of public health policy is to reduce the societal differences in health, but despite the differences remain. There is much left to do for both authorities and the health care system,” said Socialstyrelsen director general Lars-Erik Holm in a statement.
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