Sick days due to depression up 50% among German workers

The number of sick days taken by workers in Germany due to depression rose by around 50% last year, figures from a leading health insurance company have showed, reported dpa.

The mental health report by DAK-Gesundheit, released on Sunday, said there were 183 sick days due to depression for every 100 employees the company insured in 2024, up from 122 days in the previous year.

Sick days due to mental health rose from 323 to 342 per 100 employees, the figures showed, with workers in childcare and elderly care work particularly affected.

"The high number of mental illnesses is often associated with long absences and stigmatization for the affected employees and their employers," said DAK chief executive Andreas Storm. "We can no longer close our eyes, because mental health is a key success factor for a resilient society and for Germany as a strong business location."

Storm called for increased awareness of the causes and taboo-free information on depression and anxiety disorders as well as support services to strengthen mental health.

All age groups are affected by the rise in depression. The figures for younger people have been gradually increasing for several years, while there was a sharp rise in the older age groups in 2024.

According to the DAK figures, the average duration of sick leave due to mental illness in 2024 was just under 33 days, slightly above the previous year's level.

DAK-Gesundheit is one of the largest statutory health insurance companies in Germany.

The mental health report was conducted using the anonymized data of 2.42 million DAK-insured employees, with the help of the IGES Institute in Berlin.