Existential Health Emerges as Vital Public Health Factor in Sweden

Recent debates in Sweden have brought existential health—defined as a sense of meaning, belonging, and coherence—into focus as a crucial component of public health and social sustainability. Markus Heilig, psychiatry professor at Linköping University, underscores that scientific research establishes a strong correlation between existential well-being and health outcomes, including mental and cardiovascular health. He highlights that while society has freed individuals from traditional sources of meaning, this liberation has often resulted in loneliness and alienation, affecting health negatively.

Historical perspectives from Émile Durkheim and Karl Marx reinforce the impact of community and social trust on individual well-being. Heilig cautions that while the state must not dictate what makes life meaningful, it should recognize existential health's relevance in public health policy.

Complementing this view, Hans Abrahamsson from the University of Gothenburg emphasizes the societal dimensions of existential health. He points to evidence that social factors—education, equality, social trust—and meaningful life experiences crucially influence health and longevity. Abrahamsson draws on Aaron Antonovsky’s research on the ‘‘sense of coherence’’ which helps individuals manage difficulties and maintain health.

Abrahamsson stresses that existential health links closely to peace and social sustainability; societies with less inequality and more trust enjoy better public health and less unrest. He argues existential sustainability should be viewed as integral to sustainable communities, connecting inner personal well-being with societal relationships and environmental responsibility.

Together, these experts advocate for expanding public health frameworks beyond traditional medical care to include the societal and existential conditions shaping people's health. In an era marked by polarization and anxiety, fostering existential health presents a pathway to promote empathy, trust, and sustainable living for Sweden’s future.