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Cohort profile: the Helsinki Health Study
Eero Lahelma1, Akseli Aittomäki, Mikko Laaksonen
1Department of Public Health, Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland. eero.lahelma@helsinki.fi
International Journal of Epidemiology
|April 3, 2012
Summary
The Helsinki Health Study tracks social and work factors influencing employee health. This longitudinal cohort provides valuable data for understanding well-being determinants in a large Finnish workforce.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The Helsinki Health Study cohort was established to investigate social and work-related determinants of health and well-being.
- It utilizes self-reported data and objective register information from the City of Helsinki staff.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enable longitudinal research on factors affecting employee health and well-being.
- To provide a comprehensive dataset for studying health behaviors, social determinants, and occupational exposures.
Main Methods:
- Baseline data collected via questionnaires in 2000-2002 from employees aged 40-60.
- Follow-up survey in 2007 with health examinations.
- Register data linkage including sickness absence, hospital discharge, and retirement updated to 2010.
Main Results:
- Baseline response rate was 67% (8960 participants), with 83% response rate in follow-up (7332 participants).
- Health measures encompass behaviors, self-rated health, mental disorders, functioning, pain, sleep, angina, and major diseases.
- Social determinants include socio-demographics, socio-economics, working conditions, social support, and work-family interface.
Conclusions:
- The Helsinki Health Study provides a robust dataset for examining the interplay of social, occupational, and individual factors on health outcomes.
- The cohort facilitates comparisons with international studies like Whitehall II and the Japanese Civil Servants Study.
- Data are available for collaborative research at the University of Helsinki.
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