Sickness rate in Saxony above national average in 2023

According to a health insurance survey, the sickness rate in Saxony was the third highest in 2023 compared to all other federal states. At 5.8 percent, the level is above the national average of 5.5 percent, the health insurance company DAK-Gesundheit announced on Monday. Only Saxony-Anhalt (6.8 percent) and Thuringia (6.6 percent) registered a higher sickness rate last year.

According to the report, a sickness rate of 5.8 percent means that an average of 58 out of every 1,000 employees in Saxony were on sick leave every day from January to December. In 2023, there were around a tenth more cases of sick leave than in the previous year (up 9.6 percent). At the same time, the average duration of sick leave in 2023 was 11.4 days, compared to 10.4 days in 2022. Overall, employees in Saxony would have an average of 21 sick days per capita. For the report, the Berlin-based IGES Institute analyzed the data of 53,000 employed DAK policyholders in Saxony.

Nine percent more days absent due to musculoskeletal disorders

According to the health insurance company, most absences are due to respiratory diseases - a good one in five days absent were due to this (21.2 percent). Coughs, colds and bronchitis caused 451 days of absence per 100 insured persons. There was a noticeable increase in musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain: Days of absence due to illness rose from 364 to 396 per 100 employees - an increase of around nine percent. Meanwhile, mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders accounted for 311 days of absence per 100 insured persons.