Forensic psychiatry in Finland: an overview of past, present and future.

Despite a recent contrary trend, Finland has been for decades one of the most violent countries in Western Europe. Also, Finland has had one of the highest number of psychiatric beds per capita in Europe, although this, too, has seen a sharp decline. Against this background, among other national idiosyncrasies, Finland has developed its forensic psychiatric services.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and risk for psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders in siblings.

Background: Probands with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk for several psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. The risk of these disorders among the siblings of probands has not been thoroughly assessed in a population-based cohort.

Methods: Every child born in Finland in 1991-2005 and diagnosed with ADHD in 1995-2011 were identified from national registers.

Relative age within the school year and diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide population-based study.

Background: Findings are mixed on the relationship between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and younger relative age in the school year. We aimed to investigate whether relative age is associated with ADHD diagnosis in a country where prescribing rates are low and whether any such association has changed over time or relates to comorbid disorders (eg, conduct disorder [CD], oppositional defiant disorder [ODD], or learning disorder [LD]).

Methods: We used nationwide population-based registers to identify all Finnish children born between Jan 1, 1991, and Dec 31, 2004, who were diagnosed with ADHD from age 7 years onwards (age of starting school).

Parental psychopathology and offspring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in a nationwide sample.

Objective: To study the associations between a wide range of parental psychiatric disorders and offspring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Method: This study is based on a nested case-control design. The association between parental registered psychiatric diagnoses and offspring ADHD was examined adjusting for socioeconomic and prenatal factors.

Prenatal smoking exposure and neuropsychiatric comorbidity of ADHD: a finnish nationwide population-based cohort study.

Background: Prenatal smoking exposure has been associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is commonly associated with a wide spectrum of psychiatric comorbidity. The association between smoking and neuropsychiatric comorbidity of ADHD has remained understudied.

Demographic Characteristics and Psychiatric Comorbidity of Children and Adolescents Diagnosed with ADHD in Specialized Healthcare.

Recent studies have shown an increasing incidence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children diagnosed in specialized services. This study aims to describe children with ADHD in Finnish specialized healthcare by reporting the demographic characteristics, time trends in diagnosis, psychiatric comorbidity, and the validity of register-based diagnoses. All the singletons born in Finland between 1991 and 2005 and diagnosed with ADHD by 2011 were identified and their psychiatric comorbidity data was obtained from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register (FHDR).

Preterm Birth and Poor Fetal Growth as Risk Factors of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder.

Background: Previous studies have shown an association between prematurity and attention- abstract deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Results concerning late preterm infants are controversial, and studies examining fetal growth represented by weight for gestational age are scarce. Our objective was to examine the association between gestational age by each week of fetal maturity, weight for gestational age, and ADHD.

Parental age and the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide, population-based cohort study.

Objective: An increasing number of studies has shown an association between parental age and psychiatric disorders. However, there are inconsistent results regarding whether age at parenthood is associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim of this study is to examine whether low or advanced parental age is associated with ADHD.

Prenatal Maternal Smoking and Tourette Syndrome: A Nationwide Register Study.

This is the first nationwide register-based study to examine the relationship between prenatal maternal smoking and Tourette syndrome. A total of 767 children diagnosed with Tourette syndrome were identified from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register. Each case was matched to four controls.

Treatment costs and productivity losses caused by traumatic brain injuries.

Objective: To estimate the magnitude and relative importance of hospital treatment costs and productivity losses caused by traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

Patients: A total of 155 patients with new TBI diagnoses admitted to Turku University Hospital were systematically sampled.

Methods: Hospital costs were determined by collecting detailed data from patient records and applying the actual cost from the hospital administration.