Employees insured with Barmer in Saxony were absent from work for a total of almost two weeks last year. On average, 64 out of 1,000 employees between the ages of 15 and 64 were on sick leave, two fewer nationwide, as the health insurance company with 311,000 policyholders announced in Dresden on Tuesday. While absences due to respiratory illnesses fell by almost one day per person, absences due to mental illnesses increased significantly.
The internal analysis came to 23.5 sick days per person. At the same time, 71 percent of those on sick leave received at least one sick note lasting an average of twelve days each. "We are observing these developments with concern, also with a view to all those who have to compensate for these absences from work," said Barmer regional managing director Monika Welfens. The main problem is the generally very long duration of mental incapacity to work.
According to Barmer, the overall sickness rate was 6.4 percent, with respiratory illnesses causing an average of 4.8 days of absence per employee. This was followed by mental and musculoskeletal illnesses with an average of 4.4 days' absence per employee and 4.1 days' absence. Together with injuries, these four types of illness were responsible for "more than 60 percent of all absences from work", according to the report. Absences due to mental illness lasted an average of six weeks - in the vast majority of cases due to depression.
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