October Citizens’ Pulse reveals higher confidence in healthcare, increasing concerns about security

The October round of the Citizens’ Pulse survey commissioned by the Government shows a clear increase in respondents’ confidence in the healthcare system. This time around, 75 per cent of respondents said they trust the system, up from 70 per cent a month earlier. That said, trust in the system remains fairly low.

The survey also revealed that concerns about security and the escalation of the war in Ukraine have once again increased compared to the previous survey, although they have not risen to the level seen in the first half of the year. In the October survey, 46 per cent of respondents said they were concerned about the crisis in Ukraine and its impacts. This represents an increase of six percentage points from last month. Following the launch of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 52 per cent of respondents said they were concerned about the situation.

“The respondents’ views are likely influenced by news about the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines and Russia’s mobilisation,” says Senior Specialist Juho Jyrkiäinen from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Respondents increasingly in favour of helping Ukraine 

At the same time, the survey shows increased support for the sanctions imposed on Russia, while more Finns are in favour of receiving Ukrainian refugees. Nearly nine out of ten respondents (87 per cent) are in favour of sanctions, while almost eight out of ten (78 per cent) support the reception of Ukrainian refugees. Both questions saw an increase of five percentage points.

“Although households’ concerns about the price of energy and food have been increasing all the time, citizens’ support for the sanctions imposed on Russia and their willingness to help Ukraine have grown even stronger,” Jyrkiäinen says.

Concern about the economy remains high, which is reflected in the fact that more than half of Finns have made changes to their consumption habits. The majority (55 per cent) of respondents believe that the Government’s support for households coping with high electricity costs is largely a step in the right direction.

The Citizens’ Pulse survey examines citizens’ opinions on current topics and the actions of the authorities and asks respondents about their mood and expectations for the future. Statistics Finland is responsible for collecting the survey data.
The first survey was conducted in April 2020, and surveys are repeated approximately once a month. The respondents change every time. The survey is available in English, Finnish and Swedish.

Inquiries: Juho Jyrkiäinen, Senior Specialist, Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 295 160 181