DAK: Absences due to psychological diseases have significantly increased in the first half of 2024
Overall, the sick leave rate was at a record level of 5.7 percent between January and June. On average, each insured person at the counter took around ten absent days. Half of them were sick-listed at least once between January and June.
With 19 percent, respiratory diseases had the largest share of absent days. In second place came Musculoskeletal diseases with 17.7 percent. The group in which Coronavirus infections were recorded had a share of 3.9 percent and was declining compared to the previous year's period.
There were significant differences between professional groups: Employees in nursing and care homes had particularly many absent days. On average, they took 13.7 days off per person. Employees in information technology, information and communication technology professions took only about half as many in comparison.
"The further increase in absent days due to psychological illnesses is alarming," explained DAK board chairman Andreas Storm. He urged employers to deal intensively with the psychological health of their staff. The survey was based on data from 2.25 million insured persons.
- The record sick leave rate of 5.7% between January and June affected both men and women, with an average of ten Absence days per insured person at DAK:.
- In 2024, the DAK: board chairman, Andreas Storm, voiced concerns about the further rise in absent days due to psychological illnesses among women.
- Despite having one of the highest sick leave rates in Hamburg, the group of women working in nursing and care homes had to deal with significant Absences more often than their counterparts in information technology.
- During the first half of the year, respiratory diseases accounted for 19% of all Absences, making them the leading cause of sick leave at DAK:, followed by Musculoskeletal diseases.
- Between January and June, more than half of the insured individuals at DAK: required at least one Absence day due to various diseases, including those affecting men and women.
