Ohjailusta kilpailuun : Suomen hallitusten kasvu- ja rakennepolitiikka vuosina 1962-1999

The study examines the contents, changes and the causes of changes of the growth and structural policy exercised by Finnish governments in 1962-1999. The policy is evaluated e.g. on the basis of government programmes. It is divided in the study into three phases: the phase of guided economy 1962-77, the transition period 1977-91 and the phase of competitive economy 1991-99. The opening of the economy has been the central factor influencing the contents of the growth and structural policy. When dividing the policy into ten sectors, it was found that the sectors losing weight during the study period are agricultural and forest policies and welfare policy and the sectors increasing weight are labour policy and environmental policy. Though impacts of the changes in the general line of the growth and structural policy could be seen in sector policies, the breaks in sector policies did not necessarily coincide with the breaks in the general line of the policy. In the study, in particular, the impacts of the factors affecting growth and structural policy thinking (political changes, foreign influences and changes in economics) are evaluated. The policy was influenced more by the prevailing ideological climate ("the spirit of time") than by political changes. Until the 1970s foreign influences mainly came from those individual Western European countries, where the role of government planning was important and where the economic development was favourable. Some impacts from socialist countries could be seen at the end of the 1960s and at the beginning of the 1970s. Since the 1980s the role of international organisations became emphasised. Also the impacts of the changes in economics could be seen in the changes in the general line of the growth and structural policy.

Leisure-time physical activity, health related functioning and retirement : a prospective cohort study among middle-aged employees

Physical inactivity has become a major threat to public health worldwide. The Finnish health and welfare policies emphasize that the working population should maintain good health and functioning until their normal retirement age and remain in good health and independence later in life. Health behaviours like physical activity potentially play an important role in reaching this target as physical activity contributes to better physical fitness and to reduced risk of major chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to examine first whether the volume and intensity of leisure-time physical activity impacts on subsequent physical health functioning, sickness absence and disability retirement. The second aim was to examine changes in leisure-time physical activity of moderate and vigorous intensity after transition to retirement. This study is part of the ongoing Helsinki Health Study. The baseline data were collected by questionnaires in 2000 - 02 among the employees of the City of Helsinki aged 40 to 60. The follow-up survey data were collected in 2007. Data on sickness absence were obtained from the employer s (City of Helsinki) sickness absence registers and pension data were obtained from the Finnish Centre for Pensions. Leisure-time physical activity was measured in four grades of intensity and classified according to physical activity recommendations considering both the volume and intensity of physical activity. Statistical techniques including analysis of covariance, logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards models and Poisson regression were used. Employees who were vigorously active during leisure time especially had better physical health functioning than those physically inactive. High physical activity in particular contributed to the maintenance of good physical health functioning. High physical activity also reduced the risk of subsequent sickness absences as well as the risk of all-cause disability retirement and retirement due to musculoskeletal and mental causes. Among those transferred to old-age retirement moderate-intensity leisure-time physical activity increased on average by more than half an hour per week and in addition the occurrence of physical inactivity reduced. Such changes were not observed among those remained employed and those transferred to disability retirement. This prospective cohort study provided novel results on the effects of leisure-time physical activity on health related functioning and changes in leisure-time physical activity after retirement. Although the benefits of moderate-intensity physical activity for health are well known these results suggest the importance of vigorous physical activity for subsequent health related functioning. Thus vigorous physical activity to enhance fitness should be given more emphasis from a public health perspective. In addition, physical activity should be encouraged among those who are about to retire.

Politiikan polut ja hyvinvointivaltion muutos

Suomalaisen hyvinvointivaltion uudistaminen on historian sitomaa pienten askelten politiikkaa. Sosiaalipoliittiset järjestelmät ovat liikkeissään kuin elefantteja: muutos on usein hidas, vähittäinen ja kenties kömpelö - vanhalta polulta ei ole helppoa siirtyä uudelle, vaikka vaihtoehtoisia polkuja olisikin näkyvissä. Tässä kirjassa keskitytään uudelle polulle siirtymisen - järjestelmien muutoksia ja uudistuksia - mahdollistaviin tekijöihin. Monivaiheisten politiikkaprosessien ratkaiseva rooli vaikuttaa merkittävästi sosiaalipoliittisten järjestelmien uudistusten (epä)onnistumiseen. Mikä on politiikkaprosessi? Miten muutosprosesseja tutkitaan? Miten Sata-komitean työ vaikutti Suomen sosiaalipoliittisiin järjestelmiin? Miten innovaatiot leviävät politiikassa? Miksi Suomessa ei enää ole tulopolitiikkaa? Tulisiko toimeentulotuen maksatus siirtää kunnilta Kelaan? Millaiset prosessit johtivat kunta- ja palvelurakenneuudistukseen, perhevapaita koskeviin uudistuksiin, työmarkkinatukiuudistukseen tai lääkkeiden viitehintajärjestelmään? Muun muassa näitä kysymyksiä valottavat tämän kirjan artikkelit vähimmäisturvan, sosiaalivakuutuksen ja hyvinvointipalvelujen järjestämisen - niin laajojen kuin yksittäistenkin - uudistusten näkökulmasta.