Finnish Women Research Articles

Socioeconomic status and self-perceived barriers to leisure time physical activity in Finnish Roma

Abstract Introduction Finnish Roma are at unequal socioeconomic position compared to the main population. Inequality has a key impact on the well-being and lifestyles of the Roma. The main aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) in the Finnish Roma. In addition, we investigated the relationship between socioeconomic factors and self-perceived barriers to leisure time physical activity to leisure time physical inactivity. Methods This study was based on cross-sectional data on the Roma Wellbeing Study (Roosa) collected in 2017-2018 (n = 365). Data of the study was collected by a long or a short questionnaire, with structured interview or completed by the respondent. The subsample of this study was limited to adult Roma living in Finland, identifying themselves with Roma culture (n = 344; men n = 134 and women n = 210). The data was analyzed by cross-tabulation, χ2-test and using logistic regression analysis. Men's and women's results are presented separately as odds ratios (OR) and with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results In this study 46.7% of men and 64.3% of women did not engage leisure time physical activity. The self-perceived barriers to leisure time physical activity differ between men and women. Common barriers were lack of motivation, fatigue and low mood. In men, self-perceived barriers to leisure time physical activity were also illness or injury, lack of money and exercise guidance. In women, other self-perceived barriers were lack of exercise skills, suitable exercise group and form of exercise. Conclusions The low prevalence of leisure time physical activity in the Finnish Roma calls for actions. The socioeconomic inequalities and differences between men's and women's self-perceived barriers to leisure-time physical activity should be taken into account in measures to promote physical activity. Key messages In this study, nearly half of the Finnish Roma men and three out of five women did not engage in leisure time physical activity. The socioeconomic inequalities and self-perceived barriers to leisure time physical activity between Finnish Roma men and women should be taken into account in measures to promote physical activity.

The Joint Role of Iodine Status and Thyroid Function on Risk for Preeclampsia in Finnish Women: a Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study.

Preeclampsia, a pregnancy disorder that includes hypertension and proteinuria, is a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Some studies, but not all, have found that women with preeclampsia have significantly lower iodine levels than healthy pregnant women. Resolving this issue is important because iodine deficiency in pregnancy is common in the USA and parts of Europe including Finland. We conducted a nested case-control study to determine whether the risk for preeclampsia is associated with iodine status. We measured serum iodine, thyroglobulin (Tg), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) at 10-14 weeks gestational age in 204 women with preeclampsia and 246 unaffected controls selected from all births in Finland. We found no significant difference in iodine (case mean = 26.04 ng/mL, control mean = 27.88 ng/mL, p = 0.995), Tg (case mean = 31.11 ng/mL, control mean = 29.61 ng/mL, p = 0.996), and TSH (case mean = 1.30 mIU/L, control mean = 1.24 mIU/L, p = 0.896) levels between cases and controls. There was no significant relationship between preeclampsia risk and iodine, Tg, or TSH after adjustment for known risk factors. These results are reassuring given the high prevalence of iodine deficiency in pregnancy.

Impact of smoking on gestational diabetes mellitus and offspring birthweight in primiparous women

Smoking has been shown to affect glucose homeostasis and increase the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Further, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and smoking are known to influence offspring birthweight. The effect of smoking on glucose homeostasis in pregnancy is less studied and the findings are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of smoking on risk for GDM and to evaluate the impact of smoking and GDM on offspring birthweight. This is an observational cohort study encompassing 4111 Finnish primiparous women from the city of Vantaa, Finland, who delivered a singleton child between 2009 and 2015. Data were obtained from Finnish national registers. Study participants had complete oral glucose tolerance test results and were divided into three groups according to smoking status: non-smokers (I), smokers who quit during first trimester (II), and smokers who continued after first trimester (III). Prevalence of GDM was 19.8%, 24.3%, and 26.6% in non-smokers, those who quit, and those who continued after the first trimester, respectively (P=.004 for differences between groups). The odds ratio for GDM in smokers who continued after the first trimester compared with non-smokers was 1.65 (95% CI 1.09-2.57) after adjustments for age, prepregnancy body mass index, education, and cohabitation. In women without GDM, offspring birthweight was lowest in those who continued smoking after the first trimester (P=.010 for differences between groups). In women with GDM, smoking status did not influence offspring birthweight. Smoking during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk for GDM. Offspring birthweight is lowest in women who continue smoking after the first trimester. If pregnancy is complicated by GDM, offspring birthweight is not influenced by smoking.

A Finnish socialist female parliamentarian stopped on the Dutch border

Abstract A Finnish socialist female parliamentarian stopped on the Dutch border: the (de)politicization of Finnish women’s suffrage in Dutch battles on votes for women This research article in transnational history analyses an incident during which Hilja Pärssinen, a Finnish socialist woman MP, was stopped on the Dutch border in September 1913 on her way to visit a suffragette college in London. This two-hour event at the border and public controversy that followed were clashes between competing ideological and gendered discourses on women’s political agency. The incident was a nexus of intersecting discourses on a range of issues: Dutch and international debates on women’s suffrage, discourse on ‘white slavery’, racial prejudices towards East Europeans, Marxist class struggle discourse, and fears of socialism. During the incident, the authorities seemed to be casting the identity of an illegal immigrant or a Russian prostitute on Pärssinen. Provoked against her psycho-physical experiences, she protested by performing that identity. Afterwards, transnationally connected socialists politicized the case in their fight for women’s political rights, while the authorities and the non-socialist press consistently depoliticized it.

Do women’s Relationship Satisfaction and Sexual Functioning Vary as a Function of Their Male Partners’ Premature Ejaculation Symptoms?

The present study investigated how women’s sexual functioning and relationship satisfaction are associated with their partner’s premature ejaculation (PE) symptoms, and whether prevalence rates of PE differ when women report on their male partners compared to male self-report. The sample comprised of responses from 1,779 Finnish women (mean age 33.3 years) and a control group of 1,024 Finnish men. Women who reported that their male partners had symptoms of PE were less satisfied with their relationships, and reported lower levels of arousal, orgasm, satisfaction, lubrication, and pain, but not desire. Effect sizes of these associations were small. Men and women report similar base rates of PE, suggesting that on a population level prevalence estimates are remarkably similar irrespective of whether men report on PE symptoms themselves, or women report on their partners.

Academic mothers as “ideal workers” in both the US and Finland

PurposeThe purpose was to explore how women academics in Finland and the US experience academic motherhood, how they time their pregnancy, and the ways in which the 10;different policy environments shape their decisions and experiences.Design/methodology/approachThe interviewer collected data through 10;semi-structured, long interviews with 67 academic mothers, 33 in Finland and 34 in the US. They were recorded and transcribed, then analyzed for themes.FindingsIn Finland, the insecurity of fixed-term contracts and the growing influence of the neoliberal “ideal worker” concept influenced decisions despite the generous work-family policies of the Government. In the US, meanwhile, concerns about age-related infertility had a bigger impact than career risks. One thing the US and Finnish women had in common was a feeling of being under pressure to maintain their presence at work while on maternity leave.Originality/valueCross-cultural studies of academic motherhood are rare. The choice of Finland and the US was instructive because of the different work-family policies in place. Finland has some of the most generous family leave policies in the world, whereas the US has not yet seen a federal, paid maternity leave policy.

Child volunteers in a women's paramilitary organization in World War II have accelerated reproductive schedules

Understanding how conditions experienced during development affect reproductive timing is of considerable cross-disciplinary interest. Life-history theory predicts that organisms will accelerate reproduction when future survival is unsure. In humans, this can be triggered by early exposure to mortality. Previous studies, however, have been inconclusive due to several confounds that are also likely to affect reproduction. Here we take advantage of a natural experiment in which a population is temporarily divided by war to analyze how exposure to mortality affects reproduction. Using records of Finnish women in World War II, we find that young girls serving in a paramilitary organization wait less time to reproduce, have shorter inter-birth intervals, and have more children than their non-serving peers or sisters. These results support the hypothesis that exposure to elevated mortality rates during development can result in accelerated reproductive schedules and adds to our understanding of how participation in warfare affects women.

Lived religion and the religious field

ABSTRACT In the study of lived religion, the focus on laypeople as religious agents can result in the simplistic juxtaposition of religion-as-practised by individuals and religion-as-prescribed by institutions. This perspective leads to analyses that over-emphasize agency and overlook the embeddedness of religious persons in intricate power relations that expand beyond the institution(s) closest to them. I propose that Pierre Bourdieu’s social theory, particularly as related to the religious field, offers tools for tackling this issue. While Bourdieu’s work has been criticized for relegating the laity to the status of passive consumers of religious goods, his theorizations can also be employed to produce nuanced micro-level accounts that prioritize laypeople’s practical knowledge of the field and the positions they take within it. Based on my case study of older Finnish women’s normative assessments related to religion, I demonstrate how scholars can investigate the role which their informants’ histories and investments within the religious field play in their religion-as-lived. The women in my study, lifelong members of Orthodox or Lutheran churches, defended their positions in the increasingly individualistic Finnish religious field through an emphasis on childhood socialization as the foundation of ‘proper’ religion.

The impact of educational attainment on the occurrence of gestational diabetes mellitus in two successive pregnancies of Finnish primiparous women: a population-based cohort study

AimsTo assess the impact of educational attainment on the occurrence and recurrence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in two successive pregnancies in primiparous women.MethodsThis is a population-based observational cohort study including all 2347 Finnish women without previously diagnosed diabetes, aged ≥ 20 years from the city of Vantaa, Finland, who gave birth to their first and second child between 2009 and 2015. National registries provided data on study participants. We divided the population into four groups according to the presence of GDM in the two pregnancies (GDM−/−, n = 1820; GDM−/+, n = 223; GDM+/−, n = 113; GDM+/+, n = 191).ResultsThe occurrence of GDM in the first pregnancy was 13.0% (n = 304) and 17.6% (n = 414) in the second. The recurrence rate of GDM was 62.8%. The four groups did not differ in relation to educational attainment (p = 0.11). In multinomial regression analysis, educational attainment protected from GDM in the second pregnancy [relative risk ratio 0.93 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86–0.99) per year of schooling for being GDM−/+ compared with GDM−/−]. In multivariate logistics models, prepregnancy body mass index at the first pregnancy [odds ratio (OR) 1.53 per 1-standard deviation (SD) (95% CI 1.22–1.91)], first-born birth weight z-score [OR 1.30 per 1-SD (95% CI 1.00–1.67)], and inter-pregnancy weight change [OR 1.66 per 1-SD (95% CI 1.27–2.16)], but not educational attainment, predicted recurrence of GDM.ConclusionsThe recurrence rate of GDM was high. Education protected from novel GDM in the second pregnancy, but was not associated with GDM recurrence.

Adiposity Markers as Predictors of 11-Year Decline in Maximal Walking Speed in Late Midlife.

Background: Obesity is linked to poorer physical functioning in older adults, but impact of excess adiposity on loss of functional capacity in late midlife is unclear. This study examined associations between adiposity markers and 11-year change in maximal walking speed, a sensitive indicator of physical functioning, among adults aged 55 to 69 years. Method: Maximal walking speed over 6.1 m was assessed in 2000 and 2011 among Finnish men (n = 409) and women (n = 498) from the prospective Health 2000 Survey. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were assessed in 2000. Generalized estimating equation models estimated changes in maximal walking speed by BMI and waist circumference, stratified by sex. Results: BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 was associated with accelerated decline in maximal walking speed particularly in women. Associations with waist circumference were nonsignificant. Conclusion: Late midlife obesity may speed up the decline in functional capacity as measured by maximal walking speed, especially in women.

Incidence of lichen sclerosus and subsequent causes of death: a nationwide Finnish register study.

To assess the incidence of lichen sclerosus (LS) in women and the all-cause and cause-specific mortality of women with LS. Population-based descriptive study. Finland. All Finnish women, including 7790 women diagnosed with LS during the period 1969-2012. Information gathered from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register on women with LS was combined with dates and causes of death from Statistics Finland and the Finnish Cancer Registry. Population statistics are from Statistics Finland. Crude and age-adjusted incidence rates of LS and standardised mortality ratios (SMRs). The incidence rate of LS adjusted for age (European Standard Population) increased from 14 per 100000 woman-years in 2003 to 22 per 100000 woman-years in 2010-2012. The age-specific incidence rate was highest in postmenopausal women (24-53 per 100000) but was also elevated in girls aged 5-9years (seven per 100000). The all-cause mortality of women with LS was lower than in the general female population (SMR 0.84, 95%CI 0.78-0.90), mostly as a result of decreased mortality from circulatory diseases (SMR 0.80, 95%CI 0.72-0.89) and dementia and Alzheimer's disease (SMR 0.75, 95%CI 0.62-0.88). The cancer mortality equalled that of the population, but the vulvar cancer mortality was increased (SMR 28.1, 95%CI 19.3-39.4). Lichen sclerosus is a common disease of elderly women. The overall mortality is decreased whereas the mortality as a result of vulvar cancer is increased. The likelihood of getting LS by age 80years is 1.6%. The mortality of women with LS is reduced compared with that of the population.

Leadership practices in relation to men's work-family balance in Finnish organizations

ABSTRACT Leadership practices in organizations play an important role in shaping the conditions for employees’ work-family balance. Previous research on the topic has mainly focused on women; fathers are said to receive little support from leadership for combining work and family. In this study, the focus is on men working in six Finnish organizations representing male-dominated, female-dominated and gender-balanced organizations. Although Finland is considered a frontrunner in gender equality globally, Finnish women still carry the main responsibility for housework and child-care. Through a discursive approach, we seek to answer the following research question: What kind of discourses do working men construct of leadership practices that affect their work-family balance? This study offers insights into the variety of understandings of how men's work-family balance is constrained and/or supported through leadership practices. Our conclusion is that the gender composition and degree of hierarchy of an organization affect leadership practices regarding men's work-family balance. A good relationship between leader and employee supports balance. Fatherhood seems to be handled differently from motherhood in leadership practices. The information produced in this study is not only important with respect to the quality of life of men and their families, but also necessary to advance gender equality in organizational life and society in general.

Differences in caesarean delivery and neonatal outcomes among women of migrant origin in Finland: A population-based study.

In Finland, limited information is available on neonatal disparities among women of migrant origin. This study investigated differences in caesarean delivery and neonatal outcomes between women of migrant origin and Finnish women in Finland. The study was based on nationwide data from the Medical Birth Register of Finland. Our study included information on the most recent singleton birth of women delivering between January 2004 and December 2014 (N=382233). Women were classified into nine regional categories based on their country of origin. Generalized linear models were used to describe associations between country of origin and pregnancy outcomes adjusted for maternal age, socio-economic status, pre-pregnancy body mass index, parity, marital status, smoking during pregnancy, and delivery year. Finnish women were the reference group. Among the study population, almost 92% of women were of Finnish origin; the remaining 8% were of migrant origin. Among the migrant women, those of Russian/former USSR origin were the largest group (n=11994); the smallest group was women of Latin American/Caribbean origin (n=739). Compared with Finnish women, women of sub-Saharan African, South Asian, and East Asian origin were at greater risk of emergency caesarean delivery, preterm birth, low birthweight, and lower five-minute Apgar scores for newborns. Latin American/Caribbean-origin women were at increased risk of both elective and emergency caesarean delivery and lower five-minute Apgar scores compared with Finnish women. Women of Russian/former USSR origin overall had a lower risk of caesarean delivery and poor neonatal outcomes compared with Finnish women. We identified sub-Saharan African, South Asian, and East Asian women as higher-risk groups, and women from Russia/former USSR as a lower-risk group, for emergency caesarean delivery and poor neonatal outcome compared with Finnish women. More research is needed to identify the reasons for these differences by country of origin in Finland.

Incidence of Lichen Planus and Subsequent Mortality in Finnish Women.

The incidence pattern of lichen planus (LP) and LP-related mortality are unknown. The aim of this study was to assess these factors, based on Finnish nationwide registry data including 13,378 women with LP diagnosed during 1969 to 2012. The incidence rate for LP in 2003 to 2012 was 28 per 100,000 woman-years age-adjusted to the European Standard Population. Mortality was assessed using the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) with national mortality rates as the reference. All-cause mortality was increased (SMR 1.07, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.02–1.11), with excess mortality from Hodgkin lymphoma (SMR 6.73, 95% CI 1.83–17.2), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SMR 1.68, 95% CI 1.11–2.44), cancer of the oral cavity (SMR 10.5, 95% CI 5.99–17.0), cancer of the tongue (SMR 7.25, 95% CI 3.13–14.3), infections (SMR 1.78, 95% CI 1.14–2.64), respiratory diseases (SMR 1.31, 95% CI 1.07–1.57), and diseases of the digestive system (SMR 1.39, 95% CI 1.09–1.75). In conclusion, LP is a common disease and patients seem to have an impaired long-term prognosis.

Impact of previous diagnosis of gestational diabetes on lifestyle habits in the next pregnancy

AbstractGestational diabetes (GDM) is a serious condition predisposing both the mother and child to health complications. Key means for treatment are lifestyle related, primarily adherence to a healthy diet and increase in physical activity. The aim of the study was to evaluate dietary quality and physical activity in early pregnancy of women reporting history of GDM compared to healthy women participating in a population-based study. Pregnant women were enrolled to the study by announcements in social media. The interested women (n = 1034) filled in an electronic questionnaire on their background data, validated Index of Diet Quality (IDQ) and index of leisure-time physical activity (MET-index) in early pregnancy. The protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Turku, Finland. The study population characteristics were representative of the Finnish pregnant women as compared with values reported in national perinatal statistics, except for overrepresentation of primiparas (54% compared to 41%) and underrepresentation of smokers during pregnancy (2.2% compared to 13%). Of the multiparas, 18.3% reported having been diagnosed with GDM in a previous pregnancy, which is in accordance to that in the general population (19%). Having a history of GDM was not reflected in the dietary quality in the present pregnancy. The IDQ score of the women with history of GDM (adj. mean 9.5) did not differ from those with no history (adj. mean 9.3, NS). When evaluating the categorized values, 45.8% of the women with the history of GDM and 45.4% of those without had a good dietary quality (IDQ score 10 or above). Similarly, the MET-index of the women with history of GDM (4.8 hrs/wk) did not differ from that of the women with no history (4.8 hrs/wk). Also, the categorized MET-index did not differ between the groups. The physical activity level of the women with history of GDM was light in the majority (52%) of the women, moderate in 41% and vigorous in 7%. Despite the known risks that GDM induces to health of the pregnant women and their babies, the dietary quality and physical activity of the women with a history of GDM did not differ from that of the women who were not previously affected. The results indicate that new means are needed alongside with the traditional counselling practices to motivate healthy lifestyle changes in pregnant women, particularly those at risk for recurrent GDM.

The associations of physical activity and physical capability with cardiovascular health among working‐age finnish women

The associations of physical activity and physical capability with cardiovascular health among working‐age finnish women

Psychological behavior patterns and coping with menopausal symptoms among users and non-users of hormone replacement therapy in Finnish cohorts of women aged 52–56 years

ObjectiveTo identify subgroups of women who differ with respect to self-evaluated stress, hostility, optimism and sense of coherence, and to identify differences, if any, in whether these subgroups use or do not use hormone replacement therapy (HT). Study design and methodsThis time-trend study is based on the Finnish national HeSSup study, in which nationwide cohorts of Finnish women aged 52–56 years randomly selected in 2000 (n = 1321) and in 2010 (n = 1389) responded to postal questionnaires related to four psychological behavior patterns. Main outcome measuresRelationships between psychological behavior patterns (stress, hostility, optimism and sense of coherence) and how menopausal symptoms are experienced and how this relates to the use of HT. ResultsThe proportion of HT users was higher among those with more stress and hostility and less optimism and sense of coherence than among those low in stress and hostility and high in optimism and sense of coherence. ConclusionsDifferences in psychological behavior patterns influence the perception of menopausal symptoms and the use of HT. When the treatment of women at menopause is planned, psychological behavior patterns should be considered, as these reflect the ability to cope with menopausal symptoms.

The Pregnancy Anxiety Questionnaire Revised-2

Abstract. Pregnancy-related anxiety is an important risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes and postnatal parental well-being, to a greater extent than general anxiety, calling for a reliable and validated measure for its assessment. The current paper aimed to validate the Pregnancy Anxiety Questionnaire – Revised-2 (PRAQ-R2; Huizink et al., 2016 ) in a sample of Italian women, by testing its psychometric properties, and checking for Italian–Finnish measurement invariance. Additionally, the association with general anxiety and depression was examined. Participants included 348 Italian pregnant women and 348 Finnish pregnant women. Results showed that the Italian version of PRAQ-R2 presents satisfying psychometric proprieties. Data supported a three-factor solution including fear of giving birth, w orries about bearing a handicapped child, and concern about own appearance. Invariance across countries was confirmed. The primiparous condition was associated with a higher level of pregnancy anxiety only for fear of giving birth. A moderate correlation was found between pregnancy anxiety and general anxiety and depression, providing evidence for concurrent validity, as well as for the existence of a specific pregnancy anxiety dimension.

Caesarean section and neonatal outcomes among women of migrant origin in Finland

Abstract Background In Finland, limited information is available on neonatal disparities among migrant origin women. We investigated differences in caesarean section and neonatal outcomes between migrant and Finnish origin women in Finland. Methods National data from the Medical Birth Register of Finland included information on the most recent singleton birth of all women (n = 382 233) between January 2004 and December 2014. We categorized women into nine regional categories based on their country of origin by linked population data from Statistics Finland. Women with Finnish origin were used as a reference group. Our main statistical method was logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, socio-economic status, pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational age, parity, marital status, smoking during pregnancy, and ponderal index. Results Compared with Finnish women, Sub-Saharan African women had higher odds for caesarean sections OR 2.14 (95% CI 1.96, 2.33), preterm births OR 1.22 (95% CI 1.0, 1.43), low 5 minutes Apgar score OR 3.73 (95% CI 3.09, 4.49), and intensive care unit care OR 1.39 (95% CI 1.24, 1.56) for newborns. South Asian and East Asian women were at increased risk for caesarean births OR 1.52 (95% CI 1.36, 1.71) and OR 1.19 (95% CI 1.10, 1.28) respectively, preterm birth OR 1.46 (95% CI 1.20, 1.77), and OR 1.28 (95% CI 1.13, 1.46) and low 5 minutes Apgar score OR 2.06 (95% CI 1.55, 2.76), and OR 1.36 (95% CI 1.11, 1.67) compared with Finnish women. Middle Eastern and Latin America/Caribbean women had higher odds for caesarean births OR 1.13 (95% CI 1.02, 1.24), and OR 1.66 (95% CI 1.39, 1.97) respectively and low 5 minutes Apgar score OR 1.69 (95% CI 1.34, 2.14) and OR 2.12, (95% CI 1.37, 3.26) compared with Finnish women. Conclusions Groups of women with higher risk for caesarean section and poor neonatal outcomes were identified and they may need more attention in maternal and child health services. Key messages Women from Sub-Saharan African, East Asian and South Asian origin had an elevated risk for most of the poor obstetric outcomes compared with Finnish women. Women from East Asian and Russian/former USSR countries had lower risk for caesarean section and newborns care in intensive care unit compared with Finnish women.

Monitoring inequalities in self-rated health over 36 years among Finnish women and men

Abstract Background Health inequalities across countries and populations are well established, but little is known about their long-term trends and even less about factors shaping the trends. We examined the magnitude of absolute and relative educational inequalities in self-rated health over 36 years among adult Finns, considering individual covariates and macro-economic fluctuations. Methods Data were derived from representative annual surveys in 1979-2014 among men and women and covered ages 25-64. Nine periods were used (n = 8870-14235). Our health outcome was less-than-good self-rated health and our socioeconomic indicator was completed years of education as a continuous variable. Nine time-variant sociodemographic and health-related covariates were included. Educational inequalities in self-rated health were examined by relative index of inequality (RII) and slope index of inequality (SII). Results Linear trends suggested stable overall development in both relative and absolute health equalities during 36 years. Period specific analyses showed that among men relative and absolute inequalities narrowed immediately after economic recession in Finland in 1993-94, and among women, inequalities narrowed during global financial crisis in 2008-09. Adjusting for covariates reduced the magnitude of inequalities throughout the nine periods, but affected little the period specific patterning of health inequalities. Conclusions Educational inequalities in self-rated health persisted during 36 years in Finland. While among men and women health inequalities narrowed during and after recessions, they widened soon back to the pre-recession level. The perseverance calls for powerful measures to tackle health inequalities, such as preventing unhealthy behaviours, obesity and unemployment in particular among the lower educated. Key messages Health inequalities have persisted in Finland over 36 years, with unhealthy behaviors and unemployment affecting their magnitude. Health inequalities narrowed during economic recessions, but widened soon back to pre-recession level.