Helsinki, Finland, where people are living longer, thanks in part to affordable housing.
Finland is back in the affordablehousingaction.org news.1
An article in the Guardian explores life expectancy in Finland. There, longevity is increasing. By contrast, in the UK, residents’ lives are getting shorter.
Why? The health system can only go so far. Social conditions, which include nutrition, support networks, working conditions and housing, also contribute to overall health and reduce health care costs. Preventive programs eliminate or delay the use of health care.
The author compares the prevention programs offered in the two countries. Affordable housing has far reaching effects. See the Guardian: Life expectancy is rising in Finland – unlike in the UK. What’s going right?
Footnotes
- Earlier this year, Finland received attention because homelessness is going down, unlike many other western countries: From Finland, A Way To End Homelessness That Really Works
