The accumulated struggles of families are the frost of our time – research focuses on early prevention

Back in the 19th century, it was common for frost to destroy an entire family's crop, researcher Mika Niemelä reminds us.

“Such events caused immense suffering in poor Finland. Even today, low-lying lands remain at risk for frost, but in modern society, we have largely learned to protect ourselves against it in various ways.”

According to Niemelä, today's frost is of a different kind.

“Children's accumulated difficulties—circumstances they cannot choose—can be seen as a modern equivalent. Some families with children still live on low-lying lands,” he explains.

Niemelä has studied, for example, how a parent’s serious illness affects children. When such a burdensome situation is compounded by additional stressors—like a parent’s mental health issues or financial hardship—it begins to have a tangible impact on the child’s life and future. That’s when you’re on low ground, and the danger of frost is very real.

In many regions of Finland, psychiatric inpatient care for young people has been overloaded for years, and out-of-home placements consume vast resources.

“Our idea is that these so-called heavy services could be avoided by offering targeted support to children and families early on. First, we need to study the data: Who are the children and adolescents who use health services extensively, and what kinds of challenges did they face before their situation turned into a crisis?” Niemelä explains.

The goal of Niemelä's research group is to ensure that research findings are brought back to the field as quickly as possible—not years later, as often happens. This would allow for the immediate development of preventive services.

“We’re pioneers in this. One reason we’re able to return knowledge to the field quickly is that many of our researchers come from the very sectors and regions where they can apply their findings in practice. Our team includes school principals, pediatricians, and others.”

Various preventive services are already being developed within regional wellbeing services. A common problem, however, is that support is offered through too many separate “windows.”

“With our research, we aim to promote the integration of services,” says Niemelä.

According to Niemelä, the local context of research is also essential.

“We clearly see phenomena that vary by region. For instance, in North Karelia, there’s a high number of ADHD diagnoses among children and adolescents placed in out-of-home care. What could be changed in early-stage social and health services to help prevent such placements?”

Niemelä himself worked in healthcare for many years. He became interested in research as part of his practical work and hasn’t been able to stop.

“For some children and young people, difficulties accumulate—a phenomenon that has existed for a very long time. As a society, we can’t control all the hardships a family might face. But with timely and well-designed services, we should be able to take the power out of this phenomenon. Just like the hunger-inducing frost of the past, the consequences of difficult life circumstances can be addressed through the collaboration of research and practice.”

The Faculty of Medicine has made a significant investment in research on the well-being and services of children, youth, and families, led by Mika Niemelä. In addition to the faculty’s own funding, we are seeking donations to expand the research group and enhance the impact of the work.

Additional funding through donations will enable the research to reach the next level. It will support the development of effective, multidisciplinary, and family-centered approaches that promote mental health, well-being, and resilience among children and young people. A donation in an investment in children's well-being and future.