Finland introduces digital health surveys for secondary students

Starting this autumn, new secondary education students in Finland will complete a digital health survey to streamline access to student healthcare services. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has developed two versions of the survey: one for students of compulsory school age and another for adult students.

The initiative aims to help students identify their own support needs and allow healthcare providers to offer timely assistance. The survey will be conducted via the Omaolo service, and the data will be recorded in the Kanta services to ensure availability for future healthcare needs. Users will require strong electronic identification, such as banking credentials, to complete the process.

A significant aspect of this reform is the integration of the Finnish Defence Forces' preliminary health survey into the student healthcare examination. By combining these processes, students will only need to provide their information once, reducing redundant tasks and ensuring that health assessments and serviceability evaluations are conducted consistently across the country regardless of residence.