Persons with developmental disabilities as Kela customers
The project looks at persons with developmental disabilities as Kela customers and their interactions with Kela by means of a systematic literature review and register data for 2011-2024. The aim of the study is to provide a picture of the take-up of benefits by persons with developmental disabilities, to describe their client paths, and to explore the possibilities of digitalisation and artificial intelligence to support persons with developmental disabilities in accessing benefits and seeking services.
The literature review looks mainly at solutions that can be applied to Kela and thus does not deal directly with Kela-related matters.
The study consists of three parts:
- A systematic literature review of the possibilities of digitalisation and artificial intelligence to strengthen accessibility and equity,
- Cross-sectional and time series analysis of benefits and services,
- Longitudinal examination of client paths in three cohorts (transition at age 16, start of disability pension, start of rehabilitation) analysing transitions, interruptions and simultaneous benefits.
The research data consists of Kela's registers and a set of data on work, health and wellbeing in the context of changes in social and health security (Työ, terveys ja hyvinvointi sosiaali- ja terveysturvan muutoksissa) in the FIONA environment of Statistics Finland. The analysis focuses on a wide range of benefits. The study analyses accessibility, equity and agency based on register data, such as benefit interruptions, delays, number of transitions and the complexity of benefit combinations. The results can support the development of Kela's operations.
Researchers
- Antti Teittinen, Leading Researcher
- Hannu Mattila
- Anneli Miettinen
- Aliisa Palanne
- Jukka I. Hänninen
- Mikko Kaivola
Steering group: Hennamari Mikkola, Jarmo Körkkö and Susanna Hintsala
Duration of project
1.1.2026–31.12.2028
