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1. National strategy(ies)

2. Improving the mental health of young people

National strategy

National mental health strategy

In 2016, the Swedish government presented a national mental health strategy for 2016-2020 (Regeringens strategi inom området psykisk ohälsa 2016-2020). The strategy has formed the basis for the government’s work in the area of mental health.

Revision

In 2020, the Government has commissioned the Public Health Agency and the National Board of Health and Welfare to provide a basis for a new national strategy in the area of mental health and suicide prevention. The assignment was reported to the Government in September 2023. The new national strategy runs over 10 years, with a vision and a target structure consisting of four overall targets and seven sub-targets. The vision is:

"a society that promotes good and equal mental health in the entire population and where no one should end up in a situation where the only way out is perceived to be suicide".

The strategy contains the following four objectives:

• Improved mental health in the entire population
• Fewer lives lost to suicide
• Reduced inequality in mental health
• Reduced negative consequences due to psychiatric conditions.

Responsible authority 

The Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) is responsible for coordinating the work of many different stakeholders, such as governmental agencies, regions and municipalities. The agency is also responsible for monitoring, compiling, analysing and disseminating knowledge to support mental health promotion and preventive mental health work.

Evaluations

In 2020, the Government commissioned the Swedish National Agency for Medical and Social Evaluation (SBU) to evaluate efforts to promote mental health and prevent mental illness and suicide among children and young people. Among other things, the SBU will review the scientific basis for what is required of structured manual-based interventions (programmes) to promote mental health and prevent mental illness and suicide among children and young people aged 2-18. The assignment was finalised in October 2022  when the report (Främjande av psykiskt välbefinnande hos barn och ungdomar) was published.

Suicide prevention

Over the past 30 years the suicide rate (the number of individuals per 100,000 inhabitants who have committed suicide) in Sweden has reduced by around 60%. In 1990, the number was 28.2 compared to 18.4 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023. Internationally, Sweden’s suicide rate is around the EU average. This positive trend does not, however, apply to young people. Among people under the age of 20, the level has remained unchanged. And among 20–29-year-olds, suicides have been increasing by approximately 1.8 percent per year during the period 2006–2020.

Among young women, the rate of suicide attempts has risen. In all age groups almost everywhere in the world, more men than women take their own lives. In Sweden more than twice as many men as women commit suicide. Other over-represented groups in Sweden are LGBT and those born abroad (Public Health Agency of Sweden, 2016).

In 2008, the Swedish Parliament decided on a National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention (ett nationellt handlingsprogram för suicidprevention). The Action Plan contains nine strategic areas of action for reducing the number of suicides. Since 2015, the Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) has been assigned by the government to coordinate efforts within the nine areas of the Action Plan on a national level. The agency is responsible for:

• developing the coordination and cooperation between relevant agencies and stakeholders working with suicide prevention on a national level
• developing knowledge-building, knowledge compilation, dissemination of knowledge and guidance to relevant stakeholders

The Public Health Agency develops and disseminates knowledge about suicide and suicide prevention, based on the needs of different target groups. This may include summarising research and presenting it in a way that is adapted to different target groups, such as in factsheets, and spreading it through different channels e.g. on the web, in social media, at conferences and seminars. Knowledge support focuses on population-based suicide prevention, i.e. measures mainly carried out outside the health care sector. More information is provided at suicidprevention.se.

The Public Health Agency is also responsible for monitoring and following up suicide prevention work. The latest report is from 2020 (Psykisk hälsa och suicidprevention Lägesrapporten 2020). Like in the area of mental health, suicide prevention is a collaborative effort and the agency cooperates with a number of other government agencies, CSOs and researchers within the field to reduce the number of suicides in Sweden. 

Improving the mental health of young people

Improving of young people’s health conditions is a priority area within Swedish youth policy, and many initiatives have been taken, in order improve the mental health of young people. Even though not all initiatives targets young people specifically, young people are a priority group.

The Government and the Swedish Association of local authorities and regions (Sveriges kommuner och regioner, SKR) has since 2016 reached agreements within the area of mental health.In 2024, the Government has set aside SEK 1.56 billion for SKR's work with mental health and suicide prevention. One goal of the agreement is to improve and coordinate efforts for children's and young people's mental health. Continued investments are made in, among other things, suicide prevention, care and support, patient and user participation, people with comorbidity and psychiatric trauma care.

Priority areas highlighted in the agreement for 2024 are that:

• mental health and suicide prevention need attention within public health policy
• care needs to become more equal, person-centred and accessible
• the needs of certain target groups need special attention
• suicide prevention work needs to be developed and strengthened.

A study of mental health from the young people's perspective

The Agency for Youth and Civil Society (MUCF) was assigned in 2021 for studying how young people experience and define mentals health issues. The study, published in 2023,  was conducted together with the Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten). Young people between 13 and 25 years of age were asked to share their experiences and thoughts on wellbeing and other mental health issues, as well as coping strategies and their needs for support and care. Results of the study show, among other things, that among main causes of mental distress is young people's own and others' demands and expectations regarding, for example, school, future, social status and appearance. Many young people feel inadequate. Difficult home conditions, bullying and being involuntarily alone and lacking friends also have a negative impact on how young people feel. What more, the results show that mental health differs between different groups of young people, where young LGBTQ people and young people with disabilities rate their mental health as worse compared to other young people.