Jukka Murto

Cultural services and activities: The association with self-rated health and quality of life

Background: Previous studies have shown that cultural participation has a positive effect on health and well-being. The aim of this study was to analyse how use of cultural services and participation in cultural activities is associated with self-rated health (SRH) and quality of life (QOL), using validated outcome measurements and key socio-demographic factors. Methods: The study data are drawn from the Regional Health and Well-being Study conducted in 2010 in Finland. (N = 31,000, response rate 48%). The data analysed in this paper consist of 11,905 respondents. Results: Logistic regression models adjusted for key socio-demographic factors showed that use of cultural services was associated with good SRH and good QOL. Also, associations were found between the practice of cultural activities and good SRH and QOL. However, the associations between activities and SRH and QOL were somewhat weaker. Conclusions: Use of cultural services and practicing cultural activities seem to have a positive association with SRH and QOL. Providing citizens with cultural services and activities can be seen as a silent social policy that has the potential to improve SRH and QOL. Further studies with a longitudinal design are needed to examine the causality.

REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN SAFETY BEHAVIOUR AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY, FINLAND 2013-2015

Background Local authorities need a health and well-being monitoring system, that gives information on current safety behaviour and environmental safety and changes in them. Methods The study is based on a nationally and regionally representative cross-sectional questionnaire (postal or web) survey entitled “The Regional Health and Well-being Study” (ATH) carried out in 2013−2015 in Finland. Respondents aged 20 years or more (n = 89 779) were included. The indicators used were: 1) use of helmet always when cycling, and 2) slippery footpaths in winter near of respondents’ home bother the respondents. Prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The results were presented by different population groups. Results There were considerable differences in safety behaviour between educational groups, and they were most often unfavourable for the less-educated groups. These differences could generally be observed also at regional level. Use of helmet when cycling was most common in the highest educational group among both men and women. In the region of Uusimaa about 35% of cyclists reported always wearing a helmet when cycling whereas in Western Finland the corresponding prevalence was about 15%. Slippery footpaths in winter were most common in the region of Uusimaa where over half of respondents reported that slippery footbaths bothered them, compared to 40% in Central and South-Eastern Finland. Conclusions There were regional differences in both safety behaviour and environmental safety. In safety behaviour there were also sociodemographic differences. The ATH -study provides local authorities with the necessary tools to monitor their residents’ health and well-being together with the factors affecting them. It is also an important tool for the monitoring of safety behaviour and environmental safety and their long- and short-term changes in the adult population. The results are reported in an interactive online service (in Finnish): www.thl.fi/ath.