Age-inclusive Arctic outdoor spaces: a policy review in four Nordic countries

Figures & data

Figure 1. Nordic Arctic Regions. Map courtesy of the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland. Credit for the border data [2].

Table 1. National demographic outlooks.

	Finland	Iceland	Norway	Sweden
1.Total population (2022, mln)	5.6	0.39	5.5	10.5
2. Population by degree of urbanisation, %, 2022 Cities/town and suburbs/rural [7]	40/32/28	62/16/22	31/41/28	36/37/28
3. Median age (years) 2020/2050	43.1/47.3	37.5/45.1	39.8/44.1	41.1/43.8
4. Life expectancy at birth (years) 2015–2020 (Men/Women)	78.7/84.5	80.4/83.7	80.2/84.2	80.7/84.4
5. Life expectancy at birth 2045–2050 (Men/Women)	83.3/88.1	84.9/87.3	84.6/87.6	85.0/87.8

Sources: Indicator 1 definitions and values. National statistics [7]. Indicators 3–5 definitions and values: Ageing demographic datasheet for some unified national indicators of ageing in the recent past and projected to 2050 [8].

Table 2. National documents related to healthy ageing (countries in alphabetical order).

No	Country	Document in native language [in English] and a reference	Responsible ministry	Year published
1	FIN	Sosiaalisesti kestävä Suomi 2020 – Sosiaali- ja terveyspolitiikan strategia [Socially sustainable Finland 2020. Strategy for social and health policy] [39]	Finland’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health	2011
2	FIN	Kansallinen ikäohjelma vuoteen 2030: Tavoitteena ikäkyvykäs Suomi [National Programme on Ageing 2030: For an age-competent Finland] [40]	Finland’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health	2020
3	FIN	Laatusuositus hyvän ikääntymisen turvaamiseksi ja palvelujen parantamiseksi 2020–2023: Tavoitteena ikäystävällinen Suomi [Quality recommendation to guarantee a good quality of life and improved services for older persons 2020–2023: The Aim is an Age-friendly Finland] [41]	Finland’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Health	2020
4	ICE	Gott að eldast – aðgerðaáætlun um þjónustu við eldra fólk [Good to grow old. Outlines of a plan of implementation of services for older people over the next four years] (Iceland’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour 2022)	Iceland’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour	2022 2022
5	ICE	Virðing og resin. Samþætt heilbrigðis- og félagsþjónusta fyrir eldra fólk [Respect and dignity. Integrated health- and social services for older people. Outlines of a policy of health services for older people] [19]	Iceland’s Ministry of Health	2021
6	ICE	Heilsuefling aldraðra - Aðgerðaáætlun [Health promotion for older people – Action plan] (Iceland’s Ministry of Health 2021) [21]	Iceland’s Ministry of Health	2021
7	ICE	Heilsuefling aldraðra - Skýrsla starfshóps [Health promotion for older people - a team report] (Iceland’s Ministry of Health and Matthíasdóttir 2021) [42]	Iceland’s Ministry of Health	2021
8	NO	Meld. St. 15 (2017–2018) Leve hele livet – En kvalitetsreform for eldre [A Full Life – All Your Life – A Quality Reform for Older Persons] [43]	Ministry of Health and Care Services	2019
9	NO	Meld. St. 19 (2018–2019) Folkehelsemeldinga. Gode liv i eit trygt samfunn [Report to the Storting. Public Health Report. Good Lives in a Safe Society] [44]	Ministry of Health and Care Services	2019
10	NO	Flere år – flere muligheter. Regjeringens strategi for et aldersvennlig samfunn [More years – More opportunities. The Government’s strategy for an age-friendly society] [45]	Government of Norway	2016
11	SE	Vård och omsorg för äldre. Lägesrapport 2022 [Care and service for older people. Status report 2022] (The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare 2022) [49]	The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare	2022
12	SE	Läs mig! Nationell kvalitetsplan för vård och omsorg för äldre personer. SOU 2017:21 [Read me! National quality plan for care and social services for older people] [46]	Government Offices of Sweden	2017
13	SE	På väg mot en god och jämlik hälsa. Stödstruktur för det statliga folkhälsoarbetet [On the way to good and equal health: Support structure for government public health work] [35]	The Public Health Agency of Sweden	2020

Note: FIN- Finland, ICE- Iceland, NO- Norway, SE- Sweden.

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Ministry of Health and Care Services. Meld. St. 19 (2018-2019) Folkehelsemeldinga. Gode liv i eit trygt samfunn [Report to the Storting. Public health report. Good lives in a safe society]. regjeringen.no, Oslo; 2019.

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Government of Norway. Flere år - flere muligheter. Regjeringens strategi for et aldersvennlig samfunn [More years - More opportunities. The Government’s strategy for an age-friendly society]. Oslo; 2016.

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