In Sweden, 15.6 percent of the population is overcrowded.
The same figure in Norway is 6.1 per cent, in Finland 7.7 per cent and in Denmark 10 per cent.
This is shown by Eurostat's statistics for 2019.
According to the Swedish Public Health Agency, this may be a possible factor as to why Sweden has more covid-related deaths than neighboring countries.
- When it comes to serious cases, there is a lot to suggest that one of the many factors that separate us countries is this factor, says Anders Tegnell, State Epidemiologist.
"Clear class pattern"
Several reports show that foreign-born people are overrepresented in the number of people who died in connection with covid-19.
At the same time, the group makes up a large proportion of those living in overcrowded housing.
- If overcrowding is unevenly distributed, people get different life chances, says Anders Kessling, director of the authority Delegation against segregation.
Tapio Salonen, professor of social work at Malmö University, draws similar conclusions.
- The pandemic has a clear class pattern, of course, he says.
"We know too little"
The pandemic has clarified the problem of overcrowding, according to experts.
But at present there are few studies on its effects.
Therefore, several researchers now want to study the issue.
- It has become quite obvious that we know too little about the consequences of this.
So it has triggered a number of activities, says Tapio Salonen.
In order to have a more equal society, it is necessary to analyze the effects of the pandemic against different groups, according to the Swedish Delegation to Segregation Authority.
- If we take that knowledge into account, then we can also reduce the risks, says Anders Kessling.