The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) will conduct an extensive survey for higher education students in March and April. An invitation to the survey will be sent to 12,000 randomly selected students from universities and universities of applied sciences.
The Finnish Student Health and Wellbeing Survey (KOTT) produces nationally comprehensive and up-to-date information on the welfare of students. The survey involves collecting data on matters such as health, lifestyles, ability to study, social relationships, living conditions, balancing studies with family life, and the use of student health care services.
The survey is conducted roughly once every four years. The previous survey was carried out in 2021.
The survey produces data on the development trend in students’ welfare and the factors that have influenced students’ coping during crises.
The data obtained in this survey will be used to develop student healthcare, in particular, but also sports services and student catering. The results can also be used to support influencing and various health promotion projects. For example, previous surveys have been utilised in developing the services of student counselling psychologists and creating recommendations for physical activity in higher education institutions.
From the survey, FSHS gains valuable information about its services. The survey questionnaire includes separate questions regarding FSHS services and how students have experienced using them. The results aid FSHS in monitoring how student experiences of FSHS change over time.
“The data obtained through the survey allows us to, among other things, comprehensively assess the students’ ability to study and identify factors affecting it. The early identification of factors that reduce the ability to study, cooperation between different actors and well-functioning services can safeguard students’ ability to continue their studies and move ahead to working life”, says Suvi Parikka, Responsible Researcher, THL.
Each response is important
Invitations will be emailed to students in March.
Each recipient represents their age group and field of education. Individual respondents cannot be replaced by anyone else. This makes it important that every person who received an invitation participates in the survey.
You can respond to the survey online in Finnish, Swedish or English.
The results will be reported in autumn 2024 on THL’s website. The data will be available by age group, gender and higher education sector. Respondents cannot be identified from the research findings.
The survey also involves the Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS), the Social Insurance Institution Kela, student unions SYL and SAMOK, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Research Foundation for Studies and Education Otus sr, the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences Arene, the Council of Rectors of Finnish Universities Unifi ry and Statistics Finland.
Further information for research participants: kott-info(at)thl.fi
Further information for media: Suvi Parikka, Development Manager, Responsible Researcher, THL, +358 29 524 7959, suvi.parikka(at)thl.fi
Read more about the Finnish Student Health and Wellbeing Survey (KOTT) on THL web pages
Read more about the Finnish Student Health and Wellbeing Survey (KOTT) on FSHS web pages