An Aging Sweden: Care Demand and Cost Pressure
Total health care expenditure reached around 693,000 million SEK in 2023, up from around 637,000 million SEK in 2022.
Last updated: 2026-03-19
Key insights
- Total health care expenditure reached around 693,000 million SEK in 2023, up from around 637,000 million SEK in 2022.
- Life expectancy for men has increased to 81.3 years in 2023, while for women, it has reached approximately 84.8 years.
- The demographic dependency ratio slightly decreased to 0.77 in 2023, down from 0.77 in 2022.
Analysis
Between 2022 and 2023, Sweden saw a significant increase in total health care expenditure, rising by approximately 56,000 million SEK. This reflects a growing investment in health services, which may be influenced by factors such as an aging population and increased health needs.
Life expectancy has shown consistent improvement over the years. In 2023, men can expect to live about 81.3 years, whereas women have a life expectancy of around 84.8 years. This trend highlights advancements in health care and living conditions over time.
Additionally, the demographic dependency ratio, which indicates the proportion of dependents (youth and elderly) to the working-age population, slightly declined to 0.77 in 2023. This suggests a modest shift in the balance between the working-age population and dependents, which can impact economic and social policies in the future.