From 8.1 to 72.3 days of sick leave. The scientific institute (Wido) of the AOK – the largest health insurance fund in Germany with nearly 19 million members – assessed the sick leaves of 10.1 million working insured people in 2010. Between 2009 and 2010, absenteeism rate among its members remained relatively low – 4.8%, as opposed to 4.4% in manufacturing – and didn’t increase. However, data concerning sick leaves caused by psychological problems changed, increasing by 80% since 1999. In 2010, the average duration of a sick leave was 11.6 days, but 23.4 days in case of a leave caused by depression or burnout. The Wido’s researchers added to their research cases of mental diseases and physiological diseases caused by stressful situations alike. On this basis, the Wido calculated that the number of days taken off for psychological reasons for 1,000 active paying members went from 8.1 days a year in 2004 up to 72.3 days a year in 2010. “Forecasts based on 34 million active members for 2010 show 1.8 million days taken for about 100,000 employees” explained Helmut Schröder, Wido deputy general secretary, when presenting these results.
23.4 days in case of a leave caused by depression or burnout. The Wido’s researchers added to their research cases of mental diseases and physiological diseases caused by stressful situations alike. On this basis, the Wido calculated that the number of days taken off for psychological reasons for 1,000 active paying members went from 8.1 days a year in 2004 up to 72.3 days a year in 2010.
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