Public Health Reporting

Ill-health reduces the individual citizen's quality of life and also entails large costs for society. Many health determinants can be influenced by political decisions and individual choices. For several reasons it is therefore important to be able to describe and analyse the evolution of the population's health, lifestyles and living conditions. To enable this we need surveys and studies that follow the long-term evolution of public health and its determinants.

The results of these studies are available at the agency's website in the form of statistics, tables, graphs and maps. In addition to health, lifestyle and living conditions, the statistics are in many cases broken down by age and gender and – when data allows – also by ethnic or cultural background, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, LGBT identity, and disability.

The national public health survey

The national public health survey collects cross-sectional data on health, lifestyle and living conditions in Sweden since 2004. It is an ongoing collaborative project between the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the 21 Swedish regions. The purpose of the national public health survey is to report the state of health and preconditions of health of the population over time, to monitor national and regional public health policies. The survey also makes it possible to carry out in-depth analyses in different areas of health.

Over the period 2004–2016, data was collected annually using random samples of 10,000–20,000 individuals 16–84 years of age. Since 2016, data is collected every second year, with an extra data collection in 2021, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the 2018, 2020 and 2021 surveys, a random sample of 40,000 persons aged 16–84 years was used. The 2021 study also included a supplementary random sample of 10,000 persons aged 85 years and older. In the 2022 and 2024 study, respectively, a random sample of 45,000 persons aged 16 years and older was used.

Selected results from the national public health survey are summarised in the yearly report to the Swedish government “Folkhälsan i Sverige” (Public Health in Sweden). The report is launched in March and has an English summary.

Folkhälsan i Sverige (folkhalsomyndigheten.se) (in Swedish)

Official Statistics of Sweden

Since 2022 the national public health survey results are labelled Official Statistics of Sweden. The full set of data can be found in the statistical database Folkhälsodata (in English) and FolkhälsoStudio (in Swedish) on our website.

• Folkhälsodata (fohm-app.folkhalsomyndigheten.se) (in Swedish)
• FolkhälsoStudio (external webbsite) (in Swedish)

To read more about what constitutes official statistics

• Official Statistics of Sweden
• Official Statistics of Sweden (scb.se)

The national environmental health survey

The national environmental health survey is a national survey on health in relation to exposure to environmental factors. The surveys have been conducted every fourth year since 1999, alternating between adults and children, and the last survey was performed in 2019 (children). The surveys provide cross-sectional data of exposure to environmental factors and self-reported health. The environmental factors include noise, air quality, green space, indoor environment, temperature, chemical exposure, climate change, sun exposure and environmental tobacco smoking as well as allergy and asthma related to environmental factors.

The aim of the surveys is to follow the population's health status in relation to environmental factors and provide data that can be used for policy making, mainly at a regional level. The surveys are conducted by the Public Health Agency of Sweden in collaboration with the Swedish regions.

The results of the surveys are analysed and presented in comprehensive reports and data is also made available online via Folkhälsodata/FolkhälsoStudio.

Folkhälsodata and FolkhälsoStudio (in Swedish)