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Study women significantly more ill than men
Women and men show very different health complaints, which is also reflected in the sick leave that DAK Health has evaluated for their current health report. The "study shows the greatest gender differences in mental illness, cancer and circulatory diseases," according to the DAK.
Many diseases, such as depression, cancer or heart attacks, show large differences between the sexes according to the DAK. This also affects the sick leave, which the health insurance has evaluated for their current health report. "In 2015, for example, women were 14 percent more likely to be on the job than their male counterparts," says DAK. Overall, the general sick leave has reached its highest level in 16 years, according to one of the other key findings of the new DAK health report.
The sick leave rate for women was on average 14 percent higher in 2015 than in men. (Image: Björn Wylezich / fotolia.com) First evaluated comprehensively gender differences in sick leave
According to the DAK, "For the first time, the gender differences in sickness lost days and their causes" were comprehensively covered for the first time for the current report. The data base was the sick leave of around 2.7 million employed persons insured. In addition, the Forsa Institute conducted a representative survey on behalf of the DAK with more than 5,000 women and men aged 18 and 65 years. In the data analysis, it became clear that the gender differences are significantly greater than previously thought. The sick leave for women was 14 percent higher than for men. Thus, in 2015, 44 out of 1,000 female employees were on sick leave every day, while among men 39 out of 1,000 employed were sick.
Difference greater than assumed
Furthermore, it is clear from the figures in the current health report that women were missing fewer days per sick leave, but they were on sick leave much more frequently. The women reached a total of 134.4 cases per 100 insured, while the men came to 115.8 cases per 100 insured. "Our report shows that the much quoted little difference between women and men is much greater than expected," emphasizes Herbert Rebscher, CEO of DAK Health. Based on the results of the report will be clarified very precisely, "where are the factors influencing the sick leave and how high the respective share in the sexes really is."
Men are increasingly suffering from cardiovascular disease
According to the health report, "men in all age groups were far more likely to miss the job than women (+ 65 percent more absenteeism due to cardiovascular disease)," according to the DAK. Between the ages of 45 and 64, nearly one in ten men suffer from coronary heart disease. Even in the days of absence due to injuries, the men were far ahead of the women. They showed almost twice as many days off (48 percent more) than the female sex. This is attributed to the authors of the report on the higher risk-taking and other occupational activities.
Women multiply with mental health problems
In the case of mental illnesses, however, women were significantly more affected. They were much more likely to be missing mental illnesses than men (67 percent more absenteeism among women). Especially women are more affected by depression. For this reason too, the prescription of psychotropic drugs is much higher. Every eleventh woman received a prescription for antidepressants last year, according to the DAK, while only one in twenty said that.
Women are missing significantly longer because of cancer
Most striking was the gender difference according to the DAK in the sick leave due to cancer. Here, the women had shown 74 percent more absenteeism than the men. Although the risk of developing cancer is about the same for women and men, the cancer usually only affects men when they are older - from the age of about 60. Job losses are therefore limited. In women, however, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer, and it is often detectable at a young age, even at work.
According to the DAK, the job also has a significant influence on how often women and men get sick. Thus, in many sectors, a higher rate of sick leave among women. These include, for example, public administration and health care. All in all, men showed a higher sickness rate than women in very few sectors, reports the DAK. This applies, for example, to horticulture and the natural sciences, where men had more days off than women.
Different treatment of diseases
Striking in the current health report was also the gender-specific different treatment of diseases. In 2015, men averaged just 4.2 times a doctor, while working women went to the doctor seven times a year on average. "Even without a check-up and pregnancy-related treatments, it becomes clear that women have been treated more often," says DAK. According to Petra Kolip, Professor for Prevention and Health Promotion at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Bielefeld, in the DAK press release, the results of the current report are important for gender-sensitive health research. "These very concrete data from the DAK report are helpful. in order to be able to derive measures that are as accurate as possible ", continues Kolip. (Fp)