Socio-Economic Differences in Participation in Rehabilitation Organized by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. A Register-Based Study on the Finnish Working-Age Population in 2018–2023
Abstract
There is limited research on socioeconomic differences in participation in rehabilitation, especially based on nationally representative data regarding the socioeconomic differences and trends in participation in rehabilitation provided by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela). The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and changes in participation in vocational rehabilitation, intensive medical rehabilitation, discretionary rehabilitation and rehabilitation psychotherapy provided by Kela among the working-age Finnish population by education, occupational status, and income between 2018 and 2023. The study utilized nationally comprehensive data compiled from the registers of Kela, Statistics Finland, and the Finnish Tax Administration including more than 3 million individuals aged 20–64 annually. The data were analyzed using Poisson regression models. According to the results, vocational and intensive medical rehabilitation were most commonly used by individuals with low socioeconomic status, such as those with low income, the unemployed, students, and people outside the labor force. Socioeconomic differences in participation in discretionary rehabilitation were similar but less pronounced. In contrast, rehabilitation psychotherapy was most commonly accessed by individuals with higher education, students, and upper-level employees. However, high income was not associated with receiving rehabilitation psychotherapy. Vocational, intensive medical and discretionary rehabilitation provided by Kela appear to be primarily accessed by socioeconomic groups characterized by a high prevalence of health problems and weak labor market attachment. In contrast, rehabilitative psychotherapy seems to be less accessed by groups that, on average, experience the highest levels of psychological distress. Greater attention should be directed toward population groups at risk of being excluded from the rehabilitation services essential to their wellbeing.
Full text in Finnish (journal.fi)
Authors
Jenni Blomgren, Heta Moustgaard
Additional Information
- Peer-Reviewed: yes.
- Open Access: yes.
- Cite as: Blomgren, J., & Moustgaard, H. (2026). Kelan kuntoutukseen osallistumisen sosioekonomiset erot ja niiden kehitys: Rekisteritutkimus Suomen työikäisestä väestöstä vuosina 2018–2023. Kuntoutus, 49(2), 6-20. https://doi.org/10.37451/kuntoutus.185354
