Yksilöpohjaisia

Yksilöpohjaisia is a Finnish term used to describe approaches, policies, services, or research designs that are based on the individual. It denotes customization and attention to a person’s needs, goals, and life circumstances rather than applying standardized or group-based solutions. The concept is commonly encountered in welfare, health care, education, and social services in Finland and other Nordic contexts.

In practice, yksilöpohjaisia approaches emphasize person-centered planning and flexible pathways. Examples include social services plans developed with the service user, individualized care plans in health care, and personalized learning plans in education. In research and evaluation, an individual-based design focuses on data at the level of the person, enabling interventions and supports to be tailored to each participant’s situation.

Etymology and related terms: The word is formed from yksilö (individual) and pohja (base or foundation) with the adjectival suffix -aisia, indicating applicability to multiple items. Related Finnish terms include yksilöllinen (individual or individualized), henkilölähtöinen (person-oriented), and asiakaslähtöinen (customer-oriented). The concept is often discussed in policy and service design as a means to enhance autonomy, relevance, and effectiveness by centering services on the individual rather than on generic programs.