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1. Main trends in the health conditions of young people

2. Main concepts

Main trends in the health conditions of young people

Most adolescents in Sweden judge their health as being good. In general, young people in Sweden have healthy lifestyle habits, including regular physical and outdoor activities. A decreasing number of adolescents report of high consumption of alcohol or of being regular smokers.

On the negative side, an increasing share of young people report of having recurring mental and somatic problems, such as anxiety, feeling low, sleep disorders and abdominal pain or headache. Young women more often report stress and mild mental health problems compared to other age groups. Between 2020 and 2021, there was an increase in severe psychological distress in the population, which is a development that needs to be monitored moving forward. Most health problems are more common among children and adolescents living in less favourable social circumstances, compared to children and adolescents in socially advantaged groups. For all health outcomes people with lower socioeconomic status are more affected than others, and there are no signs of reduced relative inequalities in health. Other groups who face high risks of having health-related problems are persons with disabilities, LGBTI-persons, persons with a national minority background and immigrants, according to the Public health report 2025 (Folkhälsans utveckling, årsrapport 2025) from the Public Health Agency of Sweden.

Mental health

Mental health problems have shown an increasing trend among young people in Sweden since mid-1980s. Both register-based indicators on suicide attempts and self-reported well-being indicators confirm the trend. In 2024, 57% among 16 to 24 year-olds witness of having anxiety. 

The share that reports of good wellbeing in 2024 is 78% in the 16 to 29 age group, compared to 84% in total population. In 2018, the corresponding share among young people was 80%.

Hospital care due to a suicide attempt is more common among young people compared to those that are elder. In 2024, the share was 147 per 100 000 young people between 13 and 24 years of age, and 56 per 100 000 adults between 30 and 64 years of age.

Suicide

Over the past 15 years, the suicide rate in Sweden has reduced by around 20% according to the Public Health Agency. This positive trend in Sweden does not apply to children and young adults, where the suicide rate has remained at the same level for 15-19 year olds and risen slightly for 20-29 year olds. According to the monitoring system for youth living conditions the reported share in 2024 was 7.6 per 100 000 young people between 13 and 24 years of age. For young people between 25 and 29, the suicide rate is higher, 11.5 per 100 000 people. The suicide rate is higher for young men compared to young women.  

Alcohol abuse

Alcohol consumption among young people in Sweden declined continuously during  2007 until 2024. The share of consumers of alcohol ("Have you ever drank alcohol (do not include drinks below 2.26 %, for example, low-alcohol beer or weak cider?” The indicator refers to the percentage that replied “Yes, over the past 12 months”) decreased:

• from 64% to 35% among students at last year in compulsory school
• from 87% to 69% among students at school year 2 of upper secondary school.

(Monitoring system (Indikatorslabbet), The Public Health Agency, 2025)

Substance abuse

Substance abuse among young people 17–29 years in Sweden shows a neutral trend. Between 2017 and 2021, the share that testifies of having used narcotics drug (cannabis, amphetamine, opiates, hallucinogens, ecstasy, cocaine or non-medical use of prescription drugs) over the last 12 months. The total use of drugs has slightly decreased from 15.3 to 14.2% (Monitoring system (Indikatorslabbet), The Public Health Agency, 2022)

Tobacco consumption

Tobacco consumption among young people 16–29 years in Sweden has declined somewhat during the last five years. Between 2004and 2024, the share of smokers (that smoke tobacco products daily) has declined from 13% to 2% (Tobacco use, smoking, Monitoring System (Indikatorslabbet), The Public Health Agency 2024). 

However, the daily use of snuff has increased among young people 16-29 years during the same time period. From 14% in 2004 to 19% in 2024.  (Tobacco and nicotine use, snuff, Monitoring system (Indikatorslabbet), The Public Health Agency).

Sexual and reproductive health

Statistics from the National Board of Health and Welfare show that abortions among teenagers have decreased the last decades. In 2024, the share was 8.6 per 1 000 girls up 19 years of age, compared to 16.2 per 1 000 girls in 2014 and 24.4 in 2004.

Of the sexually transmitted diseases, chlamydia infection is the most common and the chlamydia incidence is at a high level compared to other STIs. In the 16–24 age group, the share of reported chlamydia infections in 2025 was 1.2% according to the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society’s monitoring system for youth living conditions. The level has been decreasing since 2010.

National surveys assessing the state of health of young people

There are a number of national surveys assessing the health conditions of young people. 

The Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) is responsible for health surveys targeting both the population in general and for specific youth health surveys. The National Public Health Survey covers health, lifestyle and living conditions. The study has been conducted annually since 2004 and comprises a random sample of 20 000 individuals between 16 and 84 years of age.

The aim is to show the population's state of health and to monitor changes in health over time as a part of a follow-up of public health policy. The study is an ongoing collaborative project between the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the Swedish regions and county councils

The Public Health Agency is also responsible for the survey Health Behavior in School-aged Children (Skolbarns hälsovanor i Sverige), which is an international study coordinated by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The study is carried out every four years and presents data from 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds.

The study is based on survey questions about health, lifestyle and environment at school and at home. The results are used to monitor children's and young people's health over time and to identify areas that require actions to promote children's and young people's health.

Statistics Sweden (Statistiska centralbyrån SCB) conducts regular surveys on living conditions. Since 1975, Statistics Sweden has conducted the annual survey ULF/SILC covering work environment, housing conditions, income, leisure time, health, civic activities, social relationships, employment, security and education. Since 2001, Statistics Sweden has, within the framework of ULF/SILC, conducted a specific survey targeting children between 12 and 18 years of age, the Living Conditions Survey of Children. 

The Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs (Centralförbundet för alkohol- och narkotikaupplysning, CAN) is a civil society organisation that conducts an annual nation-wide survey on alcohol and other drugs among students in year nine of compulsory school and in second year at upper secondary school. The results from the survey are published in Skolelevers drogvanor (Alcohol and drug use among students). 

The Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (MUCF) is the government agency responsible for monitoring youth living conditions. The agency conducts a recurring survey on living conditions for young people 16-25 years old called National Youth Survey (Nationella ungdomsenkäten). They also have a web-based monitoring system on the living conditions of young people aged 13–25 in Sweden called Young Today (Ung idag).

Main concepts

The concept of health in Sweden is in line with the one of WHOs. It includes overall health, well-being and quality of life. Health is seen as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity.

Therefore, public health reporting in Sweden provides a broad description of the state of public health. It contains analyses of both the prevalence of diseases and hospital care and of public health surveys covering information on self-reported health, lifestyles and living conditions, which largely affect the development of public health.