Levels In Sweden Research Articles

Taxation of Real Estate in Sweden from 1862 to 2010

This paper examines the development and role of the real estate taxation in Sweden during the period between 1862 and 2010. Real estate has historically been taxed at both the local and state levels in Sweden. The importance of real estate taxation in Sweden is nevertheless difficult to assess directly because of the limited availability of data and the specific construction of the local tax system after 1920. The real estate tax initially aimed to provide municipalities with a stable tax base; however, its importance in this respect has diminished over time. After the tax reform of 1990–1991 in Sweden, real estate was taxed exclusively at the national level, generating tax revenue of approximately one percent of GDP. Further, in 2008, part of the tax was transformed to a “local fee”.

A Job-Exposure Matrix for Occupational Noise: Development and Validation

To develop a job-exposure matrix (JEM) for occupational noise in Sweden and to estimate its validity. The JEM, developed by a group of experienced occupational hygienists, contains 321 job families with information regarding occupational noise from 1970 to 2004. The occupational noise information derives from measurements collected from different sources. The time period label has a 5-year scale starting in 1970. The estimated average 8h (TWA) noise level in decibel [dB(A)] for every 5-year period was coded either as <75 dB(A), 75-84 dB(A), or ≥85 dB(A) and the risk of peak level exposure assessed. The validity of the JEM is tested, using Svensson's non-parametric methods based on classification consensus, reached by a second group of occupational hygienists. Validation results show ~ 80% agreement and no systematic differences, in classification, between the two different groups of occupational hygienists, classifying the occupational noise exposure. However, classification of peak level exposure did show a systematic difference in relative position. The results will give more power to the JEM that it gives a good general estimate for the occupational noise levels in Sweden for different job families during 1970-2004. We, thus, intend to use it in further studies and also make it available to collaborators.

High-resolution modeling of residential outdoor particulate levels in Sweden

Large-scale exposure assessments that include both between- and within-city differences in air pollution levels are lacking. The objective of this study was to model long-term particle exposure for the whole of Sweden, separating long-range transport from local sources, which were further separated into combustion and road dust. Annual regional, urban and local traffic PM exposure contributions were modeled for 26,000 addresses from a national survey, using a European scale model, an urban model and a local traffic model. Total PM(10) was overall dominated by the regional contribution, ranging from 3.5 μg/m(3) (northernmost) to 13.5 μg/m(3) (southernmost). Local traffic and urban sources contributed nationally on average to 16% of total PM(10), but for urban populations this contribution was larger (for Stockholm around 30%). Generalized to the Swedish adult population, the average residential exposure contributions from regional, urban and local traffic PM(10) were 10.2, 1.3 and 0.2 μg/m(3), respectively. Corresponding exposure to PM(1) was 5.1, 0.5 and 0.03 μg/m(3), respectively. Long-range transport dominates average Swedish residential PM(1) and PM(10) levels, but for urban populations the contributions from urban and local traffic sources are important and may even dominate for residences close to heavily trafficked roads. The study shows the importance of considering both national and city-scale gradients. The approach to exposure modeling at home addresses of a Swedish cohort includes both the regional scale and the urban and local traffic contributions to total PM exposure. With this we can resolve both between- and within-city gradients in national exposure assessments. The within-city exposure is further divided into a submicron (combustion) and a supermicron (road dust generated by studded tires) part. This gives new possibilities to study health impacts of different particles generated in Scandinavian cities.

Burden of type 2 diabetes attributed to lower educational levels in Sweden.

BackgroundType 2 diabetes is associated with low socioeconomic position (SEP) in high-income countries. Despite the important role of SEP in the development of many diseases, no socioeconomic indicator was included in the Comparative Risk Assessment (CRA) module of the Global Burden of Disease study. We therefore aimed to illustrate an example by estimating the burden of type 2 diabetes in Sweden attributed to lower educational levels as a measure of SEP using the methods applied in the CRA.MethodsTo include lower educational levels as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, we pooled relevant international data from a recent systematic review to measure the association between type 2 diabetes incidence and lower educational levels. We also collected data on the distribution of educational levels in the Swedish population using comparable criteria for educational levels as identified in the international literature. Population attributable fractions (PAF) were estimated and applied to the burden of diabetes estimates from the Swedish burden of disease database for men and women in the separate age groups (30-44, 45-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80+ years).ResultsThe PAF estimates showed that 17.2% of the diabetes burden in men and 20.1% of the burden in women were attributed to lower educational levels in Sweden when combining all age groups. The burden was, however, most pronounced in the older age groups (70-79 and 80+), where lower educational levels contributed to 22.5% to 24.5% of the diabetes burden in men and 27.8% to 32.6% in women.ConclusionsThere is a considerable burden of type 2 diabetes attributed to lower educational levels in Sweden, and socioeconomic indicators should be considered to be incorporated in the CRA.

Levelling off of prevalence of obesity in the adult population of Sweden between 2000/01 and 2004/05

BackgroundThe escalating global epidemic of obesity is of worldwide concern because of its association with several chronic diseases and premature mortality. Some subgroups seem to be more affected than others. The aim of this study was to examine whether the mean BMI (adjusted for age) and the prevalence of obesity (adjusted for all the explanatory variables) changed between 2000/01 and 2004/05 in different subgroups of the Swedish population.MethodsThis study compared two cross-sectional, nationwide random samples of persons aged 16 to 84 years: the first from 2000/01 (5515 men, 5838 women) and the second from 2004/05 (4681 men, 4821 women). After stratification by gender, a logistic regression model was applied to analyse possible changes in mean BMI and the prevalence of obesity between 2000/01 and 2004/05.ResultsTotal mean BMI remained almost unchanged between 2000/01 and 2004/05 for both men and women. The prevalence of obesity increased slightly in both men and women, but not significantly (from 9.7 to 10.8% and from 9.6 to 10.2%, respectively). The prevalence of obesity in 2004/05 was especially high in some subgroups: men aged 45-54 (14.3%) or 55-64 (16.5%), women aged 65-74 (15.9%) or 75-84 (16.8%), men and women of middle educational level (15.6% and 14.4%, respectively), male former smokers (13.4%), and men from small towns or rural areas (13.1%).ConclusionsAlthough the mean BMI and obesity were almost unchanged in the Swedish adult population between 2000/01 and 2004/05, obesity levels in Sweden remained unacceptably high, especially in certain subgroups. Primary and secondary intervention actions should strive to decrease the prevalence of obesity in Sweden.

Short summary of Swedres 2005, a report on Swedish antibiotic utilisation and resistance

"Swedres 2005", the fifth report on Swedish antibiotic utilisation and resistance in human medicine, was presented in May 2006. Compared with the rest of Europe, antibiotic consumption and resistance levels in Sweden are relatively low. However, global travel and trade facilitate the spread of bacteria between countries and continents. As a consequence, also in Sweden, increasing resistance trends are seen for some pathogens, notably ESBL-producing enterobacteriaceae.

Accumulation of heavy metals in circumpolar willow ptarmigan (Lagopus l. lagopus) populations

A circumpolar survey of heavy metals in willow ptarmigan liver and kidney revealed considerable variations in Cd content in Canada and Scandinavia. The Cd content in central Canada was comparable with that in Scandinavia and Russia, at least for kidney. However, in both liver and kidney the median for Canada as a whole was much higher than in the other countries. Some Canadian locations had exceptionally high levels, several birds having >50 mg kg(-1) in liver and >400 mg kg(-1) in kidney. In Norway, the Cd content was highest in central mountain areas in south Norway and inland locations in the two northernmost counties. Five locations in central and north Norway showed mean Cd levels in kidney above 100 mg kg(-1). It is difficult to evaluate regional differences in Sweden, but most locations had the same Cd level as moderately contaminated locations in Norway. Cd levels in Russia were comparable to moderately contaminated locations in the other countries. Due to a high intake of willow, naturally rich in Cd, direct comparison of the Cd level in willow ptarmigan from different locations cannot reveal the effects of long-range pollution. The Pb concentration in willow ptarmigan kidney and liver varied significantly in Norway and Canada, but not in Sweden and Russia. Levels in Sweden and Russia were comparable to those in Canada and low levels in Norway. The highest median value from all locations within countries was found in Norway, both in liver and kidney. The highest Pb content was found in south Norway, indicating an effect of long-range pollution in willow ptarmigan. The level in western Canada was significantly higher than in central Canada. The Hg content in liver varied significantly from one location to another in all the countries and in kidney everywhere except Sweden. In Scandinavia, there is no distinct regional pattern. Canada had a significantly higher Hg level in central than western regions in both tissues the opposite of that found for Cd and Pb. Cu and Zn showed significant variations from one location to another in liver and kidney in Canada and Norway, but only in kidney in samples from Sweden. Comparison between western and central Canada revealed a significant difference for Cu in liver, samples from central Canada having more. There are no significant differences from one country to another, but some localities in Canada seem to have higher Cu concentrations in kidney than are found in Scandinavia and Russia.

Assessment of stand‐wise stem volume retrieval in boreal forest from JERS‐1 L‐band SAR backscatter

JERS‐1 L‐band SAR backscatter from test sites in Sweden, Finland and Siberia has been investigated to determine the accuracy level achievable in the boreal zone for stand‐wise forest stem volume retrieval using a model‐based approach. The extensive ground‐data and SAR imagery datasets available allowed analysis of the backscatter temporal dynamics. In dense forests the backscatter primarily depended on the frozen/unfrozen state of the canopy, showing a ∼4 dB difference. In sparse forests, the backscatter depended primarily on the dielectric properties of the forest floor, showing smaller differences throughout the year. Backscatter modelling as a function of stem volume was carried out by means of a simple L‐band Water Cloud related scattering model. At each test site, the model fitted the measurements used for training irrespective of the weather conditions. Of the three a priori unknown model parameters, the forest transmissivity coefficient was most affected by seasonal conditions and test site specific features (stand structure, forest management, etc.). Several factors determined the coefficient's estimate, namely weather conditions at acquisition, structural heterogeneities of the forest stands within a test site, forest management practice and ground data accuracy. Stem volume retrieval was strongly influenced by these factors. It performed best under unfrozen conditions and results were temporally consistent. Multi‐temporal combination of single‐image estimates eliminated outliers and slightly decreased the estimation error. Retrieved and measured stem volumes were in good agreement up to maximum levels in Sweden and Finland. For the intensively managed test site in Sweden a 25% relative rms error was obtained. Higher errors were achieved in the larger and more heterogeneous forest test sites in Siberia. Hence, L‐band backscatter can be considered a good candidate for stand‐wise stem volume retrieval in boreal forest, although the forest site conditions play a fundamental role for the final accuracy. When the article was submitted L. Eriksson was at the Department of Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing, Friedrich‐Schiller University, D‐07743 Jena, Germany.

The emigration of immigrants, return vs onward migration: evidence from Sweden

This study analyzes emigration propensities for natives and immigrants delineating among immigrant emigrants between return and onward migration. Results indicate that emigrants are positively selected in terms of upper education. Well-educated immigrants have a higher probability of leaving for third-country destinations than returning to countries of origin. Predicted age–income profiles for immigrants show that return migrants have higher adjusted mean income levels than non-emigrants up to the age of 40. Onward migrants have lower predicted income levels across the age distribution due to this group’s composition and relatively low employment levels in Sweden. Separate estimations by region of origin indicate that within each group, onward migrants are more positively selected then return migrants in terms of income.

How successful Swedish organisations achieve sustainable health

The costs connected with the rapidly increasing number of sick leaves have risen to alarming levels in Sweden and, for instance, Norway and the Netherlands. To find out how to handle the situation on an organisational level, a case study has been carried out at two organisations, which have been awarded for their excellent working environment and low number of sick leaves. One is a small manufacturing company and the other is a large public health care organisation. Both organisations are nonhierarchical with responsibility and authority delegated to different groups. The data collection has mainly been carried out through brainstorming in groups, structured in tree diagrams, complemented by interviews. Important methodologies for the managers are emphasis on low prestige and visibility, and functioning as coaches with activities aimed at building relations. On the basis of the result of this study, suggestions are presented, which are considered possible for other organisations to adopt.

Biochemical diagnosis of myocardial infarction evolves towards ESC/ACC consensus: Experiences from the Nordic countries

Objectives. To investigate the diagnostic approach in Nordic hospitals receiving patients suspected of acute myocardial infarction (MI), especially focusing on implementation of the recently proposed criteria by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) for the definition of MI. Design. A survey with questionnaires of the diagnostic approach was conducted among all relevant departments (220) in the Nordic countries. Results. Seventy-six percent (167) of hospitals responded. Troponins I and T (TnI and TnT) and creatinine kinase monobasic fraction (mass concentration) (CKMBmass) covered 93 and 65% of hospitals, respectively. Of troponin users, 34% indicated use of TnI vs 66% using TnT. Sporadic use of AST, CK, LD and myoglobin was reported. There was a tendency to lower cut-off levels in Sweden and Finland. Among troponin assays, there was considerable heterogeneity regarding cut-off levels. Conclusions. The Nordic countries are approaching ESC/ACC consensus on cardiac markers. Compared with previous national surveys (1995–1999), there is a shift towards the use of troponins. However, differences in cut-off levels of troponin emphasize the need for harmonization of assays.

Formaldehyde levels in Sweden: personal exposure, indoor, and outdoor concentrations.

Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and is probably carcinogenic to humans. Exposure to formaldehyde was investigated in the general population with personal as well as stationary measurements. The results from two campaigns in two Swedish cities are presented, including measurements of personal exposure among a total of 65 randomly selected subjects together with simultaneous measurements of individual indoor and outdoor concentrations. Diffusive GMD samplers were placed in the breathing zone, in the participants' bedrooms, and outside their homes for 24 h in campaign A and six days in campaign B. Repeated measurements were also conducted in order to study the variability between and within individuals. Median personal exposure to formaldehyde was 22 microg/m(3) (campaign A) and 23 microg/m(3) (campaign B), which is within the guideline value range of 12-60 microg/m(3) proposed in Sweden. Bedroom concentrations were generally slightly higher than personal exposure, while outdoor concentrations (measured only in campaign B) were low. In campaign B, the stationary measurements were used to model personal exposure. Bedroom concentrations were found to explain 90% of the variation of the measured personal exposure and predicted personal exposure nearly as well as an extended model that also included the outdoor contribution. Subjects living in single-family houses had significantly higher exposure to formaldehyde compared with subjects living in apartments. The 24-h and 6-day sampling periods yield a relatively low within-individual variability for formaldehyde measurements with GMD samplers.

Border trade and tax-free import of alcohol to Norway

Due to the high prices of alcoholic beverages in their home country, Norwegians usually bring alcohol with them when they return from trips abroad. This can be either tax-free alcohol bought at airports or on ferries, or alcohol bought in ordinary shops in foreign countries. The Norwegians quotas for duty-free import are 1 litre of spirits, 1 litre of wine (2 litres if no spirits) and 2 litres of beer. For the Swedes and Finns the quotas have gradually been increased, since they became members of the EU in 1995, and from 1 January 2004 they can import nearly unlimited amounts of alcohol for personal use. As a result the prices have decreased and made it increasingly profitable for Norwegians to buy alcohol in these countries, especially in Sweden, which is nearest to Norway. In this article the development of the total private alcohol import by Norwegian travellers, and especially the border trade from Sweden, is estimated from a series of survey data spanning the years from 1962 to 2002. The total private import of alcohol (spirits, wine and beer) has increased by a factor of 13 during the last 40 years. In 2002 it was estimated at 90 centilitres of pure alcohol per inhabitant 15 years and older. This corresponds to nearly 16% of the officially recorded domestic sale of alcohol. During the whole period the predominant part of private import, in terms of pure alcohol, has been spirits, but the import of wine has increased even more, relatively speaking, and corresponded to about two thirds of the private import of spirits in 2002. The border trade in alcohol from Sweden has increased strongly since 1994, from about 6 centilitres per inhabitant 15 years and older to about 32 centilitres in 2002. In 1994 it represented about 11% of the total private import by travellers, and in 2002 it represented more than a third. Compared to recorded total domestic alcohol sales it represented about 5.5%. The increase was relatively moderate from 1994 to 1999, but from 1999 to 2002 the total border trade from Sweden, in terms of pure alcohol, increased by about 275%. This development has been caused by several concurrent factors. Firstly, the prices in Sweden have been reduced due to the increased availability of cheaper alcohol from Denmark. Secondly, the exchange rate between the Swedish and Norwegian currencies has been profitable for Norwegians, especially after year 2000. Thirdly, the opening hours of the Swedish alcohol monopoly shops were expanded to include Saturdays starting 1 July 2001, after having been closed on Saturdays for nearly 20 years. And fourthly, a strong focus in Norwegian media on the price levels in Sweden has probably also contributed to the strong increase in the border trade in both alcohol and other goods.

Metals in Scandinavian Surface Waters: Effects of Acidification, Liming, and Potential Reacidification

This article is a state-of-the-art review about such metals as Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Hg, and As in surface waters. It focuses on natural and anthropogenic sources, chemical properties and levels, and toxicity mechanisms of these metals to aquatic organisms, primarily fish and invertebrates. Organisms living in almost anoxic, sulfide-rich evironments are not incorporated into this study. This information is then linked to a Nordic Lake Survey implemented in 1995 on major chemistry and metals in Scandinavian surface waters to scale the problems of metals in Swedish and Norwegian surface waters. Because many acidified Swedish and Norwegian lakes also are limed, we also assess the risk of remobilization of metals because these waters reacidify due to reduced liming activity. The concentrations and chemical properties of metals in lakes relative to the biological effect levels suggest that the potential risks associated to both current and potential reacidified status of limed waters decreases in the order Al >> Cd > Pb in Swedish and Norwegian lakes. Also Hg, because of the organometallic forms such as methylmercury (MeHg), might be of concern, because it biomagnifies in the food chain and subsequently of great importance for top predators, including human beings. However, other factors than pH, such as changes in organic matter load from the surrounding soils due to natural climatic variations, are much more important for the Hg load and thereby the Hg concentrations in lakes than pH. The risks associated with other metals such as Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn are very low and have to be considered only occasionally, because high concentrations are very rare in Norwegian and Swedish lakes. Less than 2% of the lakes have concentrations ≥ the lowest biological risk levels quoted in the two countries. Because primarily As is present as anions in surface waters, this element differs significantly from the cationic metals. Only a few lakes have high As concentration in relation to critical levels in Sweden, and high As concentrations are mainly related to agricultural areas and consequently high pH waters.

Low serum insulin in traditional pacific islanders—The Kitava study

Increased serum insulin is related to abdominal obesity and high blood pressure in affluent societies where insulin, weight, and blood pressure typically increase with age. The increased insulin level has been thought to reflect insulin resistance, a well-known associated factor in the metabolic syndrome. In most nonwesternized populations, body weight and blood pressure do not increase with age and abdominal obesity is absent. However, it is not known whether serum insulin likewise does not increase with age in nonwesternized societies. Fasting levels of serum insulin were measured cross-sectionally in 164 subsistence horticulturalists aged 20 to 86 years in the tropical island of Kitava, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea, and in 472 randomly selected Swedish controls aged 25 to 74 years from the Northern Sweden WHO Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Diseases (MONICA) Study. In Kitava, the intake of Western food is negligible and stroke and ischemic heart disease are absent or rare. The body mass index (BMI) and diastolic blood pressure are low in Kitavans. The main outcome measures in this study were the means, distributions, and age relations of serum insulin in males and females of the two populations. Serum fasting insulin levels were lower in Kitava than in Sweden for all ages ( P < .001). For example, the mean insulin concentration in 50- to 74-year-old Kitavans was only 50% of that in Swedish subjects. Furthermore, serum insulin decreased with age in Kitava, while it increased in Sweden in subjects over 50 years of age. Moreover, the age, BMI, and, in females, waist circumference predicted Kitavan insulin levels at age 50 to 74 years remarkably well when applied to multiple linear regression equations defined to predict the levels in Sweden. The low serum insulin that decreases with age in Kitavans adds to the evidence that a Western lifestyle is a primary cause of insulin resistance. Low serum insulin may partly explain the low prevalence of cardiovascular disease in Kitavans and probably relates to their marked leanness.

Secular trends in social patterning of cardiovascular risk factor levels in Sweden. The Northern Sweden MONICA Study 1986–1994

Peltonen M, Huhtasaari F, Stegmayr B, Lundberg V, Asplund K (Umeå University Hospital, Luleå‐Boden Hospital, Kalix Hospital, Sweden). Secular trends in social patterning of cardiovascular risk factor levels in Sweden. The North Sweden MONICA Study 1986–1994. J Intern Med 1998; 244: 1–9.ObjectivesIn the Northern Sweden MONICA Study, levels of cardiovascular risk factors were determined in 1986, 1990 and 1994. The aim of this study was to assess the trends in cardiovascular risk factors, and to analyse the relationship between levels of risk factors and level of education.DesignCardiovascular risk factors were determined in cross‐sectional population studies of randomly selected 25–64 year old men and women in 1986, 1990 and 1994 (a total of 4742 individuals).ResultsThroughout the years 1986 to 1994, cardiovascular risk factor levels showed a marked social pattern, generally being more favourable among people with a university education. Serum cholesterol levels declined in all educational groups, but blood pressure declined significantly only in women with a university education. Body mass index increased, most markedly in men with university and in women with a secondary school education. Prevalence of cigarette smoking decreased significantly in young men. It increased markedly in low‐educated women so that the social gaps in smoking widened substantially over time. The improved level of education in the population at large was calculated to explain only a little of the risk factor changes between 1986 and 1994.ConclusionsTrends in risk factor levels in different educational groups have been more diverging for women than for men. The most marked change in risk factor levels has been the decline in total serum cholesterol for both men and women in all educational groups.

On cancer risk estimation of urban air pollution.

The usefulness of data from various sources for a cancer risk estimation of urban air pollution is discussed. Considering the irreversibility of initiations, a multiplicative model is preferred for solid tumors. As has been concluded for exposure to ionizing radiation, the multiplicative model, in comparison with the additive model, predicts a relatively larger number of cases at high ages, with enhanced underestimation of risks by short follow-up times in disease-epidemiological studies. For related reasons, the extrapolation of risk from animal tests on the basis of daily absorbed dose per kilogram body weight or per square meter surface area without considering differences in life span may lead to an underestimation, and agreements with epidemiologically determined values may be fortuitous. Considering these possibilities, the most likely lifetime risks of cancer death at the average exposure levels in Sweden were estimated for certain pollution fractions or indicator compounds in urban air. The risks amount to approximately 50 deaths per 100,000 for inhaled particulate organic material (POM), with a contribution from ingested POM about three times larger, and alkenes, and butadiene cause 20 deaths, respectively, per 100,000 individuals. Also, benzene and formaldehyde are expected to be associated with considerable risk increments. Comparative potency methods were applied for POM and alkenes. Due to incompleteness of the list of compounds considered and the uncertainties of the above estimates, the total risk calculation from urban air has not been attempted here.

The disappearing American voter

The right to vote is the cornerstone of democracy. To millions around the world who have fought for that right, it is considered a privilege. Yet the magnitude of nonvoting in America is staggering. More than 91 million Americans did not vote in 1988, putting voter turnout at barely half of the voting-age population. This situation has stirred much comment and debate across the political spectrum, raising several questions: Why is voter turnout generally so low? Why has it declined steadily over the past three decades? Does low and declining turnout significantly bias the nature of contemporary U.S. politics? And what, if anything, can be done to increase voter participation? In this book, Ruy Teixeira addresses each of these question in detail in an effort to provide policymakers and the general public with a clearer view of the problem and possible solutions. The author's interpretations and recommendations are both provocative and firmly based on currently available data. Teixeira includes an assessment of current registration reform legislation and shows why a combination of registration reform and political reform is necessary to fully reverse the nonvoting trend and move to substantially higher turnout levels. He points out that while it is unlikely U.S. voter turnout will ever approach levels in Sweden, Australia, and Belgium --which are about 90 percent --with a thorough reform program, levels of around 70 percent, such as those in Japan and Canada, may be attainable.

Protecting Privacy in Surveillance Societies: The Federal Republic of Germany, Sweden, France, Canada, and the United States.

Flaherty examines the passage, revision, and implementation of privacy and data protection laws at the national and state levels in Sweden, Canada, France, Germany, and the United States. He offers a comparative and critical analysis of the challenges data protectors face int their attempt to preserve individual rights.

Search for Buildings with High Radon Levels in Sweden: Measurements Carried out by Local Authorities in Both Older and Newly Built Homes

Local authorities in Sweden have made about 58,000 radon daughter measurements with the following aims: (1) to search for houses with high radon daughter levels, (2) to determine the level above which the house would be regarded as an insanitary dwelling, and (3) to check that the radon daughter concentrations in newly built houses are below the established limit. The sampling of dwellings is therefore not representative for Swedish homes. 5300 homes were found to have levels above the limit 400 Bq.m-3 EER. The highest level found was 28,000 Bq.m-3. In about one third of the homes found to have levels exceeding the limit, measures had been carried out to decrease the radon daughter concentration. About half of the homes in which the levels were decreased had levels below the limit for rebuilding, e.g. 200 Bq.m-3. Measurements in order to ascertain levels in newly built houses were made in about 1100 homes out of 200,000 built since 1981 which was the year in which requirements for newly built houses came into force. Of those built with radon-safe or radon-protective foundations, 94% had concentrations below the 70 Bq.m-3 EER limit, compared to 80% for traditional building techniques.