Parenting: a life with joy – and worries

As part of If’s annual Nordic Health Report, we have explored what parents with children below 18 worry about, and how they cope with that worry. The results point to a shared pattern across the Nordic region: concern for family members, especially children, is widespread – but it’s rarely accompanied by parents actively seeking support. 

Rooted in responsibility 

The report shows that worry in the Nordics is not limited to individual circumstances. While concerns about housing costs or the geopolitical situation are common, a substantial share of respondents point to worries that are closely tied to family life. 

Some other national differences stand out. Compared over the Nordics, Swedes more often report worry about their child’s health, Finns and Danes worry more about getting laid off and Norwegians tend to worry slightly more about increasing house costs. 

Across the Nordic countries, fear of job loss consistently outpaces actual unemployment rates. In Denmark and Finland, 14% of workers worry about being laid off - twice the rate of Denmark's unemployment figure of 6.9%. Even in Norway, the most stable of the four economies, anxiety exceeds reality.  

Denmark stands out. Despite significantly lower unemployment than Finland, concern about losing one’s job is equally high. This suggests that perceived job insecurity is shaped by more than labour market statistics alone. Maybe it has become a psychological phenomenon as much as an economic one. 

“What we see in the data is that worry is often driven by responsibility for others. Many people are not primarily concerned about their own situation, but about their children, their parents, or family members whose well-being they feel responsible for. That kind of worry tends to stay with people over time,” says Kristina Ström Olsson, Nordic Health Strategist at If.

What stands out in the survey results is not only what people worry about, but how they deal with those concerns. Among those who say they are worried, a majority have not sought any form of support to reduce their worries. And while the overall pattern is similar, differences between countries are visible.  

Only 1 in 3 in Norway, Sweden and Denmark have sought help. Finland is an exception where half of parents have sought help for their worries. Finns are also less likely to say they do not want any support. This suggests that the differences lie less in the amount of worry people experience, and more in how common it is to share concerns and seek help. 

Worry can be experienced in a multitude of ways and while the results in our survey might act as an indication, we can’t know for certain how this worry affects them in overall life, and for temporary or short-term worries, it may be entirely natural not to seek help. 

More than half say they have not talked to a professional, a friend, a family member or a colleague about their concerns. Fifteen percent say they would like support, while 39% say they do not want support at all. 

Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland are all positioned in the top-right corner of the World Cultural Map, reflecting some of the world’s highest levels of individual autonomy and self-expression. This may partly explain why many people struggle to ask for help. In highly individualised societies, dealing with problems on your own is often seen as the norm. 

“One of the most striking findings is that worry rarely leads to seeking support. Many people carry their concerns on their own, even when they say they would benefit from support. This suggests that worry has become normalized as something you are expected to handle privately. Over time, this kind of silent burden risks contributing to increased stress and poorer mental health", says Kristina Ström Olsson.

Worrying in itself is not unhealthy. It can be a natural response to caring for others and wanting to anticipate potential challenges. But when worry becomes a stable background condition, handled in isolation, it can take a toll over time. 

Seen in this light, worry is not only an individual experience. It also reflects how responsibility, uncertainty, and support are shaped in everyday life. When similar concerns are reported by large groups, especially in relation to children’s mental health, it points to broader patterns that deserve closer attention. 

Through its annual Nordic Health Report, If follows developments in health and well-being across different stages of life. Recognizing worry as a shared experience, rather than a private burden, is an important step towards strengthening health and well-being before challenges escalate.