Increasing sick leave in Brandenburg: Health in summer endangered

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In our article, find out why sick leave in Brandenburg rose to 5.9 % in the summer of 2023 and therefore lies above the national average. A current DAK analysis illuminates the causes of the increased absenteeism, especially in mental illnesses and respiratory diseases. Read more about the effects on employees and companies as well as the need for a reputable debate on the background of this trend.
In our article, find out why sick leave in Brandenburg rose to 5.9 % in the summer of 2023 and therefore lies above the national average. A current DAK analysis illuminates the causes of the increased absenteeism, especially in mental illnesses and respiratory diseases. Read more about the effects on employees and companies as well as the need for a reputable debate on the background of this trend. (Symbolbild/MB)

alarm level red in summer: sick leave in Brandenburg shoots up! In the summer months of this year, sick leave rose to a whopping 5.9 percent - compared to the previous year of 5.7 percent. Brandenburg is now scraping well above the national average of 5.0 percent! These terrifying numbers come from a current analysis of DAK health, which shows that the absent days are dramatic!

The situation is anything but rosy: the number of sick days has increased at around 539 absenteeism per 100 insured. What does that mean specifically? In the period from July to September, employees had to expose an average of almost 5.4 days due to illness. A real shock!

mental illnesses on the advance

Particularly alarming: After work and leisure are overshadowed by mental illnesses such as depression. In addition to the physical complaints, these also caused an increase in the absenteeism by over eight percent - to about 102 days per 100 insured persons. And respiratory diseases also affect around 18 percent with a dramatic increase. Bronchitis and Co. ensured up to 73 absent days!

The experts sound an alarm: "We now need a serious and well thought-out debate about the real causes of high sick leave," emphasizes Anke Grubitz, the head of the DAK health in Brandenburg. In their opinion, quick solutions such as the abolition of the telephone sick leave do nothing. The DAK analysis clearly shows that the health of employees and the economic future of companies are at stake!

The most common causes of illness

The numbers speak a clear language: more than every fifth failure is caused by muscle skeleton diseases, such as back pain, and makes 22 percent of the entire sick leave. Despite a decline in absenteeism by 4.6 percent - even high 115.8 days per 100 insured - they are still the main cause of failures. Mental illnesses are in second place with 101.7 missing days. And respiratory diseases take third place in the types of disease with an increase of 17.6 percent.

DAK health, as the third largest health insurance in Germany with over 5.5 million insured and around 250,000 in Brandenburg, is concerned and demands measures for a healthier working environment! These alarming tendencies have to be taken seriously, because they are not only a risk for employees, but also for the economic stability of the companies in the coming years!

Further information on the topic of occupational health management and how employees and employers can work together can be found at www.dak.de/bgm.