Causes of death: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Causes of death
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics on causes of death describe the causes of death of persons living in Finland by age, gender and other demographic factors. The data are compiled from the Population Information System and death certificates and published once a year.
Sector coverage (SIMS 3.3)
The statistics on causes of death cover all persons who died during the calendar
year and who, according to the Population Information System, lived permanently
in Finland on the day of their death.
Death certificates are missing from the statistics of a few hundred people each year.
Causes of death are classified in the data at the most accurate level of the
International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), but the underlying causes of
death in the statistics are published at the 3-character level.
Statistical unit (SIMS 3.5)
The statistical unit of the statistics on causes of death is a person. In the data, each person has their own identifier, which is used in combining data with other individual-based data.
Statistical population (SIMS 3.6)
The statistics on causes of death include all those who died during the statistical year in Finland or abroad whose municipality of residence was, at the time of their death, in Finland. The date of death and information on the municipality of residence are obtained from the Population Information System.
Excluded from the population of the statistics:
- Persons who have died in Finland but do not have a municipality of residence in Finland (included in the research data)
- Persons declared dead
- Stillborn (separate statistics)
Reference area (SIMS 3.7)
The data of the statistics on causes of death are published on a countrywide level and by wellbeing services county. Data are also available on other regional levels. Regional data are based on the municipality of residence.
Time coverage (SIMS 3.8)
The statistical data pertaining to causes of death are published annually. Data are available in database tables as of 1969. The first statistics on causes of death were published in 1936.
Unit of measure (SIMS 4)
The data of the statistics on causes of death are published in numbers of deaths, crude and age-standardised deaths rates. Annual changes are also published (%).
Reference period (SIMS 5)
The reference period of the statistics is a calendar year.
Classifications (SIMS 3.2)
The following classifications of causes of death are used in the publications of the statistics:
- International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10)
- National time series classification
- Classification of external causes
- Classification of causes of death used by Eurostat (European short list, 2012)
- Drug-related deaths (EUDA, Selection B)
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Age-standardised mortality rate
The change in mortality is described with the comparative mortality figure (CMF), which is a ratio of the age-standardised mortality rate. The standardisation is necessary so that changes in mortality not due to the ageing of the population structure can be highlighted. The age-standardised mortality rate indicates the number of deaths per 100,000 persons of the mean population, when the age structure is kept calculatorily unchanged during the whole reference period. In the publication on cause of death statistics, the European standard population as defind by Eurostat in 2012 has been used as the standard population in calculating age-standardised mortality rates.
Alcohol-related causes of death
Alcohol-related diseases include all diseases in the classification of diseases that are caused by alcohol (categories F10, G312, G4051, G621, G721, I426, K292, K70, K852, K860, O354, P043, Q860 in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, ICD-10). Accidental poisonings by alcohol are poisoning deaths caused by alcohol or a similar substitute (category X45).
Basis for an investigation of the cause of death
The basis for an investigation of the cause of death is the information on the death certificate. The basis in law for an investigation of the cause of death is the Act on the Investigation of the Cause of Death (1973/459) Forensic autopsy: Forensic autopsy is most often performed if death has occurred in such circumstances that police investigation is necessary in order to establish the cause of death. A forensic autopsy is performed at the request of police. A police investigation will be conducted in following situations: - If the deceased was not under a doctor's care during his/her latest illness, or - If the death was caused by a crime, accident, suicide, poisoning, occupational disease or medical treatment or there is cause to suspect that the death was caused by such a reason, or - If the death otherwise occurred unexpectedly. Medical autopsy: A medical autopsy can be performed: - If the cause of death cannot be established from information on the deceased person during his/her lifetime and information related to the event of his/her death, and the deceased person was in the care of a doctor during his/her latest illness, and if an autopsy is necessary in the interest of public health and medical science, - The next of kin or otherwise close person of the deceased requests it. Thus, a medical autopsy is performed at the request of a physician or relatives of the deceased. Other basis for investigating the cause of death: The commonest other basis for an investigation of the cause of death is a clinical examination of the deceased and information on his/her latest illness or medical treatment.
Contributing cause of death
The contributing cause of death is recorded in the death certificate. The doctor will report in part II of the death certificate as contributing causes of death the reasons which have adversely affected the development of the condition leading to death and hence contributed to it. The contributing cause of death can be recognised from the data, but it is not used in the compilation of annual statistics.
Deaths
Persons permanently resident in Finland on the day of their death are recorded in the statistics as deaths. Data on deaths are obtained from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s Population Information System. The number of deaths may differ somewhat from each other in different statistics. The difference is due to the different compilation times of the statistics. The official number of deaths in Finland is derived from the deaths in the population statistics.
Drug-related deaths
In calculating drug-related deaths, use is made of a classification compiled by the EU's European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) (Selection B). According to it, cases where the underlying cause of death is drug psychosis, accidental poisoning, intentional poisoning, and poisoning by undetermined intent are calculated as drug-related deaths. Drugs included in the EMCDDA classification primarily refer to opioids and cannabis and its derivatives, other hallucinogens and psychostimulants suitable for abuse, such as amphetamine and its derivatives (The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, ICD-10: categories F110-F112, F120-F122, F140-F142, F150-F152, F160-F162, F190-F199, X41+T436, X42+T400-T409, X61+T436, X62+T400-T409, Y11+T436, Y12+T400-T409). The cases have been calculated in accordance with WHO's recommendation based on the substance judged as most influential. In many cases, it is a question of multiple substance poisoning where the person has also digested alcohol and/or psy-chopharmacons, for example.
Early neonatal mortality
Early neonatal mortality refers to the number of deaths during the first week of life relative to the live births during the statistical year.
General death rate
General death rate indicates the number of deaths per 1,000 or 100,000 persons of the mean population.
Immediate cause of death
Immediate cause of death refers to the disease, failure of injury whose symptoms cause the person to die. However, the actual mechanism of death, e.g. cardiac arrest, are not regarded as immediate causes of death. The immediate cause of death is recorded in the death certificate and saved in the statistical data files, but it is not used in the compilation of annual statistics.
Infant mortality
Infant mortality is calculated by dividing the number of deaths of infants under one year of age by the number of live births during the statistical year. Multiplying the result by 1,000 gives the figure in per mille.
Intermediate cause of death
Intermediate cause of death refers to the condition which leads from the underlying cause of death to the immediate cause of death. The intermediate cause of death is recorded in the death certificate and saved in the statistical data files, but it is not used in the compilation of annual statistics.
Ischaemic heart disease
Deaths from ischaemic heart diseases include deaths from coronary thrombosis and other ischaemic heart diseases (category 27 in the national classification of diseases with 54 categories; categories I20-I25 in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, ICD-10).
Late neonatal mortality
Late neonatal mortality refers to the number of deaths which occur at the age of 7 to 27 days relative to the live births during the statistical year.
Maternal mortality
Maternal mortality covers all deaths which occur during the pregnancy or during 42 days after the end of the pregnancy, regardless of the duration or location of the pregnancy. Included are all deaths of pregnant women due to any pregnancy related cause or a cause exacerbated by pregnancy, but not accidental or violent deaths. Maternal deaths are included in Chapter XV of the International Classification of Diseases. Maternal mortality is obtained by dividing the number of maternal deaths by 100,000 live-born children.
Neonatal mortality
Neonatal mortality is calculated by dividing the number of deaths during the first week of life by the number of live births during the statistical year and multiplying the result by 1,000.
Perinatal mortality
Perinatal mortality is calculated by dividing the number of stillbirths and deaths during the first week of life by the number of all births during the statistical year. The age during the first week is calculated in hours.
Stillborn
Stillbirths include a fetus or a newborn who shows no signs of life at the time of birth after a pregnancy lasting at least 22 weeks or the newborn weighs at least 500 grams. Miscarriages that occurred at an earlier stage of the pregnancy are not regarded as stillbirths and are not included in cause of death statistics.
Underlying cause of death
The underlying cause of death is the disease which has initiated the series of illnesses leading directly to death, or the circumstances connected with an accident or an act of violence which caused the injury or poisoning leading to death. The cause of death used in statistics (the so-called statistical underlying cause of death) is determined according to the selection and application rules of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) compiled by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Annual cause of death statistics are compiled according to the underlying cause of death.
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Legal acts and other agreements (SIMS 6.1)
The compilation of the statistics on causes of death is guided by the national legislation and the legislation of the European Union.
On the national level, the production of statistics is governed by the Statistics Act (280/2004). The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. In addition, the data protection legislation and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999) are applied to the processing of data.
In Finland, an investigation of the cause of death, production of statistics and archiving of death certificates are based on the national legislation:
- Act on Investigating the Cause of Death (1973/459).
- Decree on Investigating the Cause of Death (1973/948).
Commission Regulation (EC) No 328/2011 confirmed the data which each EU Member State must deliver in terms of the statistics on causes of death.
Data sharing (SIMS 6.2)
Statistics Finland submits the data according to the regulation to Eurostat and the World Health Organization (WHO). Data are also transmitted to NOMESKO and other statistical institutes.
The data in the statistics on causes of death are published annually on the website of Statistics Finland and in the free of charge StatFin statistical database. The tables of the statistics on causes of death are produced according to the statistical underlying cause of death.
Statistics Finland also maintains Finland’s death certificate archives. The archives contain the death certificates of Finnish residents as of 1936. Death certificates from 1936 to 1965 are located at the National Archives of Finland. Death certificates more recent than these are archived at Statistics Finland.
The documents related to investigations on the cause of death are confidential (Act on Investigating the Cause of Death 459/1973). Copies of death certificates and data on causes of death are nevertheless released from the archives for the purposes provided in the Act on Investigating the Cause of Death. These purposes primarily consist of disclosure to a deceased’s next of kin, pension institutions and the purposes of authorities.
Data on death certificates may also be disclosed for scientific studies and statistical reviews (Act on the Openness of Government Activities 621/1999).
Source data (SIMS 18.1)
The source data of the statistics on causes of death consist of death certificates and the data of the Population Information System. The data from the Population Information System are updated into the database on a weekly basis. Death certificates are obtained through the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
Statistics Finland’s data on stillbirths are supplemented with the data of the birth register maintained by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
Frequency of data collection (SIMS 18.2)
The data collection for the statistics is continuous.
Data collection (SIMS 18.3)
Death certificates are delivered to Statistics Finland from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in either digital or hard-copy format. All death certificates issued by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare's forensic pathologists are obtained in real time in electronic form (around 15% of the data).
Death certificates issued outside forensic medicine are in paper form and they are sent by post through regional offices of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. Death certificates in hard-copy format are scanned into image format at Statistics Finland, and some of the data are read optically into the database.
Lists of missing death certificates are sent to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare for supervision.
Data validation (SIMS 18.4)
The data of the statistics on causes of death are validated in many stages during the statistical process.
Death certificates in hard-copy format are scanned into image format at Statistics Finland and some of the data are read optically into the database.
The diagnostic texts and cause-of-death codes provided by doctors are checked and converted to correspond to the international disease classification with an automatic dictionary application. If the data on a death certificate are deficient, inconsistent or difficult to classify, coding occurs with the help of the death certificate’s event data or additional information is requested from a medical expert or the writer of the death certificate.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is responsible for the inspection and supervision of death certificates. At Statistics Finland, the data in death certificates are compared with the Population Information System’s data on the deceased. THL is also informed of any missing death certificates for the purposes of its supervisory duties.
The statistical dataset on causes of death is a total dataset. Given that the data on the death of deceased persons are obtained from the Population Information System, the coverage of the statistics on causes of death is practically nearly 100 per cent. Causes of death for some 100 to 500 individuals remain missing from the statistics every year, because a death certificate cannot be provided for them before the statistics are published.
Data compilation (SIMS 18.5)
For the compilation of the statistics, the underlying causes of death in the statistics are determined from the causes of death in the death certificate. The underlying cause of death is the disease which has initiated the series of illnesses leading directly to death. In accidents or violent deaths, the underlying cause of death is the external reason which caused the injury or poisoning leading to death.
The causes of death given by doctors in death certificates are not used directly in the compiling of the statistics. Rather, they serve as help when forming the statistical underlying cause of death. The statistical cause of death is determined according to the selection and application rules of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO). This is largely made automatically using the international IRIS application (Iris Institute).
For external reasons, the deduction of the statistical underlying cause of death has to be made and checked manually. When coding cases of poisoning, the research results from the register of forensic chemistry are used where needed. A medical expert handles around 500 cases every year. Additional information is requested from the issuer of a death certificate in about 50 cases a year. The data are checked before publication.
Overall accuracy (SIMS 13.1)
The statistical dataset on causes of death is a total dataset. Given that the data on the death of deceased persons are obtained from the Population Information System, the coverage of the statistics on causes of death is practically nearly 100 per cent. Individuals declared legally dead are not included in the number of deceased in the statistics on causes of death.
The statistics will lack the cause of death for some 100 to 500 individuals every year, because they cannot be provided with a death certificate. In all, 0.9 per cent of death certificates were missing from the statistics for 2024. Death certificates, with their data included, delivered late for the statistics are added to the research database and death certificate archives later.
A majority of the causes of death are based on clinical data, but autopsies play an important role in the quality assurance of causes of death. The proportion of autopsies in all deaths in Finland is the highest in the Nordic countries. The number of forensic autopsies in Finland has declined as of 2010. In 2024, autopsies were performed on 16.2 per cent of the deceased. Of these, 13.5 per cent were forensic autopsies, while 2.8 per cent were clinical autopsies.
Coverage error (SIMS 13.3.1)
Given that the data on the death of deceased persons are obtained from the Population Information System, the coverage of the statistics on causes of death is practically nearly 100 per cent. Individuals declared legally dead are not included in the number of deceased in the statistics on causes of death.
Death certificates are missing from the statistics for some 100 to 500 deaths every year. In 2024, death certificates were missing in 0.9 per cent of deaths.
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information: European Statistics Code of Practice | Statistics Finland and Recommendations of the Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland | Statistics Finland
Quality assessment (SIMS 11.2)
The producers of Official Statistics of Finland have approved a common quality assurance in which they commit to common quality criteria and quality assurance measures. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
A death certificate is written by the physician who pronounces the death. If the investigation of a cause of death requires an autopsy, the forensic pathologist draws up the death certificate once the data are completed. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is responsible for the inspection and supervision of death certificates. The forensic pathologist of an area first inspects the accuracy of a certificate and then sends it to Statistics Finland. A health institution or doctor must also notify the Population Information System of a death.
At Statistics Finland, the data in death certificates are compared with the Population Information System’s data on the deceased. THL is also informed of any missing death certificates for the purposes of its supervisory duties.
Timeliness (SIMS 14.1)
The data pertaining to causes of death are produced annually and completed by the end of the following year. The statistics are published approximately 10 months after the end of the statistical year. The data are final and describe those having died during the previous calendar year and resided permanently in Finland.
Punctuality (SIMS 14.2)
There are no delays between the release calendar and the actual release date.
Comparability - geographical (SIMS 15.1)
The statistical cause of death is determined according to the selection and application rules of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO). The cause of death data are published by the International Classification of Diseases. Therefore, the data are comparable with those of other Member States of the European Union.
Comparability - over time (SIMS 15.2)
Data on causes of death have been coded in accordance with the ICD-10 disease classification since 1996. The disease classification is an international classification maintained by the World Health Organization describing causes of death, diseases, accidents and the use of health services.
The classification can be found on the WHO’s website. Causes of death are primarily coded at the most accurate level of the classification. The disease classification’s three-character level is used as the publication level. In some cases specifying codes in accordance with Finland’s national disease classification are used. The Finnish version of ICD-10 is maintained by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
Statistics on causes of death are available from 1936 onwards. The data for the period between 1936 and 1968 can be found in table format in the publications of Statistics Finland (for example, otos.stat.fi). Data on causes of death from 1969 onwards are available as a database.
The cause-of-death classification used in the statistics has changed several times. Data on causes of death have been coded in accordance with the ICD-10 disease classification since 1996. From 1987 to 1995, the data were coded in accordance with the 1987 national disease classification, and from 1969 to 1986, in accordance with the international disease classification ICD-8.
To improve the comparability of the data on causes of death across different years, various classifications have been made in the data. The national time series classification (with 54 categories) includes data as of 1969. Eurostat’s 86-category European shortlist for causes of death 2012 classification is also used from 1998 onwards.
Coherence – cross domain (SIMS 15.3)
The statistics on causes of death are the only comprehensive statistics on causes of death in Finland. Other statistics describing mortality or causes of death include Statistics Finland’s statistics on population changes, statistics on road traffic accidents and occupational accident statistics.
The data on deaths published in Statistics Finland’s statistics on population change represent comprehensive statistics on the number of deaths. The annual number of deaths differs from the number of deaths in the statistics on causes of death to some degree.
The difference is mainly attributable to reports of deaths that are late for the statistics on population changes (those arriving after the end of January) being transferred to the statistics of the following year. Calculations on infant mortality in official contexts rely on the number of those who have died under one years of age in the statistics on population change.
The statistics on road traffic accidents produce statistics on the number of deaths in road traffic. The data are obtained from the information system of the police. The coverage of the data is reviewed with the help of the data in the statistics on causes of death.
Occupational accident statistics are compiled on the basis of the data of insurance activities and the statistics include all fatalities at work for which insurance institutions have paid indemnity. In the statistics on causes of death, data on occupational accidents are obtained from death certificates.
Coherence - internal (SIMS 15.4)
The statistics on causes of death are the only comprehensive statistics on causes of death in Finland.
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
Release calendar access (SIMS 8.2)
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data. The terms of use for statistical data.
Frequency of dissemination (SIMS 9)
The statistical data are released annually on Statistics Finland's web pages.
News release (SIMS 10.1)
The data are published annually on the home page of the statistics.
Publications (SIMS 10.2)
The data are published yearly on the home page of the statistics. Cause of death statistics have been compiled since 1936.
The publications of annual statistics for 1936 to 2020 can be found digitised in Statistics Finland's publication archive in the Official Statistics of Finland series at otos.stat.fi.
Online database (SIMS 10.3)
The database tables of the statistics can be found in the StatFin database.
Micro-data access (SIMS 10.4)
Cause of death data are available as unit-level data from 1969 onwards. Tailored tables and research data can be made from the data at Statistics Finland to customer needs. A user licence is always needed for unit-level research data.
Data on death certificates may also be released for scientific studies and statistical reviews (Act on the Openness of Government Activities 621/1999). Cause of death data can also be combined to other datasets (e.g. with population and employment statistics data). The compilation and release of research data take place in accordance with the legislation governing statistics and the data protection and secrecy policies defined therein.
Other (SIMS 10.5)
Statistics Finland also maintains Finland’s death certificate archives. The archives contain the death certificates of Finnish residents as of 1936. Death certificates from 1936 to 1965 are located at the National Archives of Finland. Death certificates more recent than these are archived by Statistics Finland.
The documents related to investigations on the cause of death are confidential (Act on Investigating the Cause of Death 459/1973). Copies of death certificates and data on causes of death are nevertheless released from the archives for the purposes provided in the Act on Investigating the Cause of Death (459/1973). These purposes primarily consist of disclosure to a deceased’s next of kin, pension institutions and the purposes of authorities.
Instructions for applying for copies of death certificates can be found on Statistics Finland's web pages at: Archive of death certificate. For death certificates from 1936 to 1965, the data request should be made to the National Archives of Finland.
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Finnish Data Protection Act are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)
Confidentiality - data treatment (SIMS 7.2)
The data obtained from individual death certificates are confidential (Section 15 of the Act on Investigating the Cause of Death 459/1973). The basic publications of the statistics on causes of death follow Statistics Finland's official guidelines on the protection of tabulated personal data based on the principles of statistical ethics and legislation.
The most common way of protecting data in tabulated format used in the statistics on causes of death is to make the classifications less detailed. When releasing data concerning the entire country, data are hidden due to a disclosure risk only at some points (such as the manner of suicide by age groups).
The provision of tabulated data on causes of death by municipality or areas smaller than a municipality usually require a licence.