Study: “Current Concerns of Portuguese Society: Housing, Levels of Emigration and Immigration, and Health” sought to understand citizens’ perceptions and attitudes toward key topics dominating the public debate, namely health, housing, and migration.
Lisbon, October 13, 2025 – Most Portuguese respondents in the latest study by the Observatory of Portuguese Society Behavioral Insights Unit of the Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, conducted in July 2025, expressed feelings of dissatisfaction and concern regarding health, housing, and migration flows in Portugal. The conclusions come from the study “Current Concerns of Portuguese Society: Housing, Levels of Emigration and Immigration, and Health,” which aimed to understand how citizens perceive and react to these major public issues.
The results show a picture of discontent with the National Health Service (SNS). 89.6% of respondents believe that the current state of the system is leading to a decline in the quality of care provided, while 85.1% fear they might not receive the necessary assistance in case of illness. Uncertainty about the future is also evident: 80.9% worry about having to pay more for healthcare, and 84.6% fear that the SNS might negatively affect their quality of life. Still, 44.7% said they have not felt the need to take out private health insurance, suggesting that despite widespread mistrust, turning to private alternatives has not yet become a dominant priority.
Dissatisfaction is mainly directed at those responsible for managing the system: 64.2% of respondents are unhappy with the Government, and 56.8% are dissatisfied with the Directorate-General of Health. In contrast, most people value the effort and competence of healthcare professionals, with 57.3% expressing satisfaction with doctors, nurses, and support staff.
Despite this appreciation, waiting lists continue to affect equitable access to healthcare. 37.4% of participants admitted to frequently postponing consultations or treatments due to long waiting times.
When asked about housing conditions, most participants (65%) said they live in their own home, but 36.4% reported spending more than 30% of their household income on rent or mortgage payments — an increase of 3.6 percentage points compared to July 2024. Half of the respondents (51%) expressed concern about being able to continue accessing suitable housing, and 65.3% are worried about rising prices.
Regarding opinions on migration flows, concern about immigration reached 72.4% of respondents, while anxiety about emigration, though lower (41%), has decreased significantly compared to 2024, when it stood at 70.1%. Despite this difference, the study shows consensus on the need to reduce both movements: 76.1% support decreasing immigration and 77.5% believe it is desirable to limit emigration.
In line with this sentiment, a significant share of respondents associate immigration with increased pressure on public services, especially healthcare (42.2%), education (33.4%), and housing (46.3%). This reinforces the perception of overburdened collective systems and limited resources.
According to Rita Coelho do Vale, coordinator of the Behavioral Insights Unit at CATÓLICA-LISBON, “the combination of the perceived fragility of the SNS, the economic pressure linked to housing, and concern over migration dynamics reflects a climate of uncertainty that transcends each issue on its own. The prevailing feeling is that of a society on alert, aware of the need for structured and sustainable solutions to ensure quality of life and social balance in the near future.”
The Observatory of Portuguese Society at the Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, supported by the Behavioral Insights Unit, conducted the study “Current Concerns of Portuguese Society: Housing, Levels of Emigration and Immigration, and Health (July 2025)” between July 10 and 18, 2025. The sample consisted of 1,134 participants from the CATÓLICA-LISBON Online Studies Panel: 615 women and 519 men, aged between 20 and 69 years. 17.4% of participants were aged 18–29, 19.7% were 30–39, 22.6% were 40–49, 21.6% were 50–59, and 18.2% were 60–69.