Alarming increase in mental health-related absences in Saxony

The number of days lost due to mental illness in Saxony has risen to record levels. At 3.1 days lost per capita, these were seven percent above the previous year's level, as DAK-Gesundheit announced on Tuesday. Over the past ten years, these have even increased by 62 percent. According to the study, most days of absence were caused by depression, followed by stress reactions and adjustment disorders. For the study, the Berlin-based IGES Institute analyzed data from 53,000 DAK-insured employees in Saxony.

The number of cases of sick leave rose by almost a quarter within a year among 20 to 34-year-old women and by 82 percent among 25 to 29-year-old men. "Some younger employees are just starting out in their careers. That's why they need our special attention when it comes to mental health issues," said Steffen Meyrich, head of the DAK regional office in Saxony, on Tuesday.

In the previous year, employees in Saxony's healthcare sector were the most affected by days of absence due to mental health issues, with 4.5 days of absence per capita. This was 46 percent more days of absence than the average for all sectors.