Depression causes billions of costs

Depression causes billions Costs: The widespread disease is the main reason for early retirement and disability

14.04.2011

Depression is a widespread disease among millions of people in Germany. Due to the mental illness, direct and indirect costs amount to between 15.5 and 22 billion euros, according to a recent study by the Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (RWI)..

Depression is the main cause of incapacity for work and early retirement in Germany, explained the RWI. In view of the immense costs caused by the onset of mental illness, improved treatment of those affected would also be economically viable, commented Allianz Molecular Insurance Board member Christian Molt, RWI study commissioned by Allianz.

Depression causes over 20 billion in costs
According to the RWI study, depression causes massive economic costs. The direct treatment costs of depression have increased between 2002 and 2008 by about one third to 5.2 billion euros, the result of the current investigation. However, according to the experts, the indirect costs are much higher. Employees who go to work in spite of a depression instead of getting into treatment, according to the RWI, cause the greatest economic damage. Their reduced productivity would cost 9.3 billion euros, said Christian Molt. Added to this is the depression-related incapacity to work and work with around 6.2 billion euros of economic costs. The early retirement due to depression in Germany between 2002 and 2008 increased by 75 percent, said the Allianz Board. In addition, the study included the economic costs of the approximately 14,000 depression-related suicides, Christian Molt continued. According to the latest study results, the indirect costs of depression total around 17 billion euros per year.

Depression is the main cause of disability
The RWI study shows that „mental stress, burnout and depression“ represent a cost factor, „that can not be ignored anymore“, stressed Christian Molt. Also, because the World Health Organization (WHO) prophesies a dramatic escalation of the situation by 2030 at the latest, in which mental suffering in industrialized nations will become the number one disease in the future, companies should increasingly address this topic, the Allianz board member demanded. Also Florian Holsboer, director of the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, said that depression is already the main cause of incapacity for work and early retirement in Germany today. According to the expert, around four million Germans suffer from depression in Germany, which represents a significant cost factor for companies. About one in ten Germans, according to the director of the Max Planck Institute, suffer from depression at least once during their lifetime. However, the care of those affected has been rather insufficient, said Christian Molt. Thus, in only 30 percent of people with depression, the disease would be recognized and adequately treated at a maximum of ten percent, said the Allianz board member. The director of the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry added that, therefore, early detection and prevention are all the more crucial, with companies playing a particularly important role, according to the expert.

Special responsibility of the companies in prevention and early detection
Working conditions often play a major role in the onset of depression, the experts emphasized the special responsibility of companies in combating widespread depression. For example, the Darmstadt professor for human resources management, Ruth Stock-Homburg, criticizes the prevention of mental illness in most companies „still (...) a taboo topic“ be. In particular, small and medium-sized companies are not yet adequately positioned here, whereby the risk factors and risk groups are actually relatively easy to determine, criticized the Professor for Personnel Management. Norbert Breutmann from the Confederation of German Employers' Associations, however, told the „SOUTHWEST PRESS“, that in particular larger companies have now recognized the problem and are actively seeking prevention and early detection. For example, company doctors were trained to recognize the mental health problem of employees and to provide appropriate assistance. However, they work „the integration with the health system“ so far only insufficient at this point, said Breutmann.

Stress avoidance strategies for the prevention of depression
In particular, work-related stress is considered by experts to be one of the key factors in the onset of depression. The high workload can also come as a cause of mental suffering in question, such as the fear of losing a job or Hartz 4 or the bad relationship with the employees (bullying). Although those affected can hardly cope with their mental health problems on their own, with suitable stress-avoidance strategies, the risk of illness can be significantly reduced. Relaxation exercises, autogenic training, tai chi or acupuncture are a good way to reduce the personal stress sensation of those affected with simple measures. Also, the consultation of a psychotherapist is urgently recommended according to the experts in case of persistent mental health problems. (Fp)

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