Social and health services and service outcomes

Health services research at STAKES focuses on health services, health technology and service quality and outcomes. STAKES also researches the structure and outcomes of social services, targeting research particularly on services for older people and families with children. Another research topic is IT and other technology used in social and health services. STAKES conducts research where the emphasis is on overarching and cross-sectoral perspectives into the health and social service delivery system.

During the programme period, priority is given to issues related to the functionality and outcomes of service systems. Research is targeted at service availability and organisation, service forms and methods, and issues related to co-operation between service forms.

Research themes

Health care

STAKES undertakes research on operational and managerial practices in health care and the impacts of work-related factors on the outcomes, functionality, and quality of care and staff well-being. Health services research is concerned with how the service delivery system can encourage ageing people and people with chronic diseases to stay in work. Research topics also include the impacts and preconditions of the implementation of clinical care recommendations and service guidance. Methodology development is carried out especially in benchmarking, health-service-based trials and register use.

Methodology and technology in social and health care

The focal interest is the impact of technology on clients' and citizens' well-being and health, and the outcomes, adverse effects, cost-efficiency and social and ethical impacts of individual technologies. In analysing the impacts of technology on the structure and operation of the service delivery system, the emphasis is on service processes, service provision and professional work. STAKES also conducts research on the use, regulation and impacts of information and communication technology and technology-based processes in social and health care. In addition, the new action models and other innovations introduced in social and health care as a result of data digitalisation are evaluated and verified, while also considering the perspective of information security and confidentiality.

Mental health

This thematic area is concerned with research on mental health policy and the structure, content and outcomes of mental health services. The focal interest is the population-level welfare impacts of a comprehensive, regionally integrated mental health policy aimed at the promotion of mental health and substance-free lifestyles. STAKES also conducts research on the impacts of mental health and substance abuser services on incapacity for work, mortality from suicide and substance abuse, crime, and placements of children into care. Research is also carried out on the content, implementation and outcomes of new, diversified multiprofessional practices in mental health promotion and mental disorder prevention.

Quality and effectiveness of health services

The quality and effectiveness of health services are largely determined by how well the care chains function. Drawing on register-based data, STAKES studies the impacts of care chains on, for instance, care outcomes and the efficiency and effectiveness of health services. The aim is to identify the problems of care and nursing chains and show how information systems can be developed to support strategic service planning and allocation in a fair and effective way. In addition, comparative studies are carried out to analyse the effectiveness and efficiency of hospital care and the contributing factors in Finland and internationally.

Social service structures and outcomes evaluation

This thematic area is concerned with research on the elements of well-functioning and effective social services in terms of structures, processes, expertise and organisation. STAKES assesses the importance attached to client perspectives in social services and the possibilities to transfer good practices to other contexts. The aim is to identify factors that increase the reflectivity of social services and to assess different forms of guidance in service development and reform. Research interests include the quality and use of social services and the effectiveness of the working models and methods, information technology and interventions used in social services, as well as the preconditions for such effectiveness. In addition, research is carried out on the influence of social work organisation and work practices on successful work outcomes.

Multi-sectoral services and networks

This thematic area is concerned with research on the promotion of smooth co-operation between multiple-client services, such as psycho-social services for families with children, rehabilitation and activation services for the long-term unemployed, services for people with mental health and substance abuse problems, and elderly care. The aim is to identify ways in which the resources of specialised expert systems can be put into use in an integrated client-oriented way and to show how such integrated services are implemented in practice. In analysing rehabilitation and activation services, the aim is to assess the various steering mechanisms available to central and local government actors for organising joint services and also to examine what added value can be created by network-based service practices and structures in combating social exclusion. In psycho-social services for families with children, research is conducted on the impact of dialogical network-based working methods on clients' life, employees' activities and the service delivery system.