Kimmo Suokas

Last updated: 05.02.2026

I’m an MD, PhD, and psychiatrist with research interests in social psychiatry and psychiatric and social epidemiology.

Study projects

Mortalty in Mental Disorders and Genetic Liability at the Population Level: A Register-Based Study Using ICD-11

Role: Principal Investigator

This nationwide register-based study examines population-level mortality and years of life lost associated with mental disorders, accounting for diagnoses across primary and specialized healthcare, comorbidity, and genetic liability.

  • Mental disorders are harmonized using the ICD-11 classification, with diagnoses from earlier ICD versions systematically mapped to ICD-11 categories.

  • The study applies established register-based methods alongside novel approaches that capture time-varying mortality risks and genetic liability.

  • Preliminary findings suggest lower excess mortality than previously reported when all treated mental disorders are considered, providing new insights into treatment needs and healthcare system functioning.

Funded by The Finnish Medical Foundation (2026).

Social Determinants of Mental Disorders in Finland (SDMD) – A Register-Based Study

Extended PhD project 2018-2025

A study project using national register data from the TRIAD project, focusing on the social determinants of mental disorders in Finland.

Highlights include:

  • Interesting papers, including the publication of the year 2021 by the European Psychiatric Association (EPA)
  • An open-source method for pre-processing Finnish healthcare registers
  • My PhD thesis

Read more

Out of Despair

Role: Co-Investigator, 2023 ->

Out of Despair examines violent, suicidal, and drug-induced deaths—and near-miss cases—among young people under 30.

Key features:

  • Utilizes multiple data sources, including linked registers, qualitative interviews, mini-ethnographies, and online discussions

  • Funded by the Strategic Research Council (SRC) at the Academy of Finland

Finnish Quality of Psychosis Care Register

Role: Co-Investigator, 2019 ->

Part of the National quality registers in healthcare and social services in Finland, hosted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

This register monitors and improves the quality of care for individuals with psychotic disorders across the country.

The Finnish SUPER study

Role: Co-Investigator, 2016 ->

The Finnish SUPER study investigates the genetic mechanisms of psychotic disorders and is part of the Stanley Global Neuropsychiatric Genomics Initiative.

Key points:

  • Over 10 500 participants with a history of diagnosed psychotic disorders

  • Ongoing analyses of genetic and phenotypic data

  • See the cohort profile for detailed procedures and methodology