Respiratory diseases in Bavaria: increase despite warm summer!

Respiratory diseases in Bavaria: increase despite warm summer!

Munich– Bavaria reports: Although physical complaints are decreasing, psychological problems are driving up sickness reports! A worrying clinical picture appears compared to previous years.

The current statistics from the DAK show alarming news: In the third quarter, Bavarians reported their illnesses significantly more often - a whopping 40 sick notes per 100 employees! That is almost a tenth more than in the same period last year. And this despite the fact that the average sick leave of 10.1 days per case is actually one day shorter than in the previous year.

Mental illnesses at the top!

The numbers are clear - sickness rates in Bavaria remain attractive at a stable 4.4 percent, but the national average is higher at 5.0 percent. There are dark reasons behind the colorful picture of the statistics: mental illnesses, including depression and adjustment disorders, are mainly responsible for the days of absence, with a massive 78 days of absence per 100 insured people. Musculoskeletal disorders are not far behind with 76 days of absence. Respiratory diseases, which increase in warm summer weeks, show a sharp increase of over 18 percent, which is surprising for the DAK and puzzles the experts.

DAK regional director Rainer Blasutto calls for a serious discussion: “The persistently high level of sickness now requires a serious and thorough debate in order to clearly understand the real causes and find a sustainable solution for the health of employees.” Buzzwords like the abolition of telephone sick leave and the discussion about so-called “blue-collar workers” don’t really help anyone, says Blasutto. A clear call for insight that puts the discussion about urgent health concerns at the forefront!