Sick leave reaches its highest level

Sick leave reached highest level in 15 years

14.02.2012

The number of sick leave reached its highest level in 15 years in 2011. Due to illness, the employees were missing an average of 13.2 days in 2011, according to the announcement of the German Employees Health Insurance Fund (DAK), citing the figures of their new health report.

The general increase in sick days is significantly influenced by a massive increase in mental illness, said the DAK. In addition, demographic change is already taking effect, according to DAK health expert Herbert Rebscher. The workforce today is on average much older than it was ten years ago, although older people are less ill than younger people, „but much longer“, explained Rebscher.

Massive increase in mental illness
According to the figures of the DAK, the number of sick leave last year reached its highest level in 15 years. The average sickness rate in 2011 was 3.6 percent (13.2 days lost per insured person), which represents an increase of almost one additional day of sickness compared to the previous year (2010: 3.4 percent sick leave, 12.5 days off). As the DAK announced on Tuesday in Berlin, citing its current health report, prepares in particular the development of mental illness, the experts considerable concern. Although mental illness is only the fourth cause of illness - behind diseases of the musculoskeletal system (21.3 percent of all sick days), diseases of the respiratory system (16.1 percent of sick days) and injuries (13.9 percent of sick days) , But the greatest increase in mental illness - from 12.1 percent in the previous year to 13.4 percent last year - was observed, reports the DAK.

2.4 million ambulances evaluated
As part of the health report, the experts have evaluated about 2.4 million sick leave from insured persons of the DAK and thereby registered the illustrated increase in sick leave. In the opinion of Herbert Rebscher, this also reflects the first signs of demographic change. Because the employees are today, on average, significantly older than ten years ago and correspondingly longer sick, said the DAK health expert. This development will continue in the coming years and thus bring further increases in sick leave, stressed Rebscher.

Sick leave in public administration particularly high
The health report also shows that there are significant sector-specific differences in sick leave. Thus, the sick leave among the employees in the public administration with 4.2 per cent in the past year was above average. The same applies to the healthcare sector (sick leave 4.1 percent) and the transport, warehousing and courier services sector (sick leave 4.0 percent). The lowest was the sick leave in education, culture and media (sick leave 2.7 percent), according to the health report.

Increased mental illness due to stress
With the increase in mental illness, the DAK experts also pointed out that just under one in ten insured feel that they receive too little recognition for their work. This was perceived by those affected as stress, which could quickly develop into a significant mental stress and additionally more than double the risk of heart attack. The cause for dissatisfaction at work is often very different. The range extends from bullying, time pressure and high workloads, to low earnings. All of these factors, in turn, can trigger stress and health detriment, which subsequently reflects on the increased sick days. (Fp)

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Image: Verena N..