Jussi Tervola

Jussi Tervola is a Research Manager at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), within the Social Security and Services unit under Welfare State Research, part of the Healthcare and Social Welfare department. He holds a Doctor of Social Sciences from the University of Helsinki and is a Docent in Social Policy at the University of Turku.

• Doctor of Social Sciences (D.Soc.Sci), Social and Public Policy, University of Helsinki, 2018
• Master of Social Sciences, Statistics, University of Helsinki, 2010
• Docent (Adjunct Professor), Social Policy, University of Turku, 2023

His research centers on social and health policy, with a strong emphasis on the Finnish social security system, policy analysis through microsimulation, and the financial burden of health out-of-pocket payments. He specializes in developing microsimulation tools for evaluating the impact of policy reforms on income distribution and poverty. His work spans topics such as parental leave, refugee integration, unemployment insurance reforms, and healthcare affordability, using advanced register-based and microsimulation methods.

His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on evaluating the distributional effects of social and health policies in Finland and the Nordic region. Key themes include poverty alleviation, equity in healthcare financing, the integration of immigrants, and the design of minimum income schemes. His research often involves comparative analysis and collaboration with international institutions like WHO Europe.

• Analysing the Effects of Healthcare Payment Policies on Poverty
• Smaller net or just fewer to catch? Disentangling minimum income schemes
• Comparing labor market integration of different refugee groups
• Distributional impacts of behavioral effects in unemployment insurance reform
• Promoting parental leave for immigrant fathers

Jussi Tervola has been actively involved in research at Kela and THL, contributing to national policy discussions. He has collaborated with researchers from Stockholm University and has published extensively on social security and health policy. His work provides critical evidence for policymakers aiming to improve financial protection and equity in the welfare state.

He leads research on microsimulation tools and conducts in-depth studies on social security reforms, healthcare financing, and the socio-economic integration of vulnerable populations. His projects often involve policy evaluation and the development of analytical frameworks for assessing the impact of social interventions.