Sairastumiset

Sairastumiset is a Finnish term used in public health and epidemiology to refer to episodes of illness or the occurrence of new sickness events within a defined population and time period. The word is derived from sairaus, ill, and the -tuminen suffix, forming a noun that denotes the process or instances of becoming ill. In Finnish statistical and clinical contexts, sairastumiset describe morbidity events rather than the act of taking sick leave.

In epidemiological use, sairastumiset are counted to measure the burden of disease, track trends, and compare populations. They can be expressed as incidence rates, the number of episodes per time unit, or as duration and recurrence of illness. Data come from health registries, primary care records, hospital admissions, and population surveys. Distinguishing sairastumiset from chronic disease episodes requires careful case definitions.

Chronic diseases can complicate interpretation because they may trigger recurrent or prolonged illness episodes. Work absence can be caused by illness but also by other factors; thus sairastumiset data are often analyzed separately from sairauspoissaolot, which specifically tracks days of sick leave. Self-reported sairastumiset in surveys may differ from register-based counts due to recall bias and definition differences.

Finnish context: In Finland, researchers and public health authorities use sairastumiset alongside other morbidity indicators to assess health trends, the impact of vaccination campaigns, influenza seasons, and the effectiveness of preventive measures. The concept supports planning of healthcare services and resource allocation.

Overall, sairastumiset are a key metric in understanding population health and the frequency of illness episodes in a community.