No abstract

Finland, like many other western countries, has experienced profound structural changes during the post-war period: urbanisation, increasing education, smaller family size, improved hygiene for food and household water, and prophylaxis and eVective care of many potentially dangerous infectious diseases. Many of these factors have been associated with the increased risk for asthma and allergies 1 which has also been found in Finland.

Change in risk factors for coronary heart disease during 10 years of a community intervention programme (North Karelia project) (1977) and 10 (1982)

We studied the significance of debt as a risk factor for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in a nation-wide sample (n = 4868) of the Finnish general population. Those experiencing difficulties in repaying their debts more often than others (37 vs. 16%, P<0.001) had a probable minor mental disorder (GHQ-12 score > or =3). Nevertheless, difficulties in repaying debts were found to be a factor independently associated with suicidal ideation (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.9-4.2). The clinical implication of these findings is that individuals experiencing difficulties in repaying their debts may require psychiatric evaluation as well as socio-economic counselling.

Summary and conclusions A comprehensive community programme to control cardiovascular diseases (CVD) This community programme effectively reduced the levels of the three main risk factors for CVD in the population, and thus mortality and morbidity from CVD should fall. This is assessed in further studies.