Depression in Thuringia: Alarming numbers and important support!
Depression in Thuringia: Alarming numbers and important support!
Suhl, Deutschland - Depression is a serious mental illness that affects millions of people annually in Germany. According to a recent analysis by the “Health Atlas Germany”, around 9.49 million people are affected, which corresponds to a prevalence of 12.5 percent. This number has increased steadily in recent years, which also applies to the Free State of Thuringia.
Almost 230,000 Thuringians now suffer from diagnosed depression, which means a prevalence of 11.8 percent. The city of Suhl is particularly affected with alarming 14.9 percent of depression diagnoses. The residents of Jena are comparatively less affected, where only 9.6 percent have received such a diagnosis. In Erfurt the value is 11.4 percent.
economic effects
The economic consequences of this disease should not be underestimated. The costs incurred by depression amount to around 9.5 billion euros annually, as the Federal Statistical Office's disease costs show. The absenteeism is particularly high: the average downtime due to depression in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district is around 50 days per case. This means that those affected are unable to work over a longer period of time, which leads to additional burdens for employers and society.
An important aspect is the frequency of depression in different age and gender groups. Women are disproportionately affected, especially in the age group of 60 to 64 years, where more than every fifth woman suffers from this disease. In men, the highest value in the same age group is shown, but prevalence is significantly lower.
risk factors and prevention measures
Different risk factors can increase the likelihood of the development of depression. This includes critical life events such as relationship crises or traumatic experiences, but also chronic stress, which can often be found in the work context. Employers are therefore required to create a mentally healthy work environment. Entry types are, for example, the promotion of decision -making rooms and the guarantee of necessary support.
The AOK Plus offers support as part of the company health management company. Around 700 companies work with the AOK in 2023 to implement measures to strengthen mental health.
To help those affected, various programs are available. The online program Moodgym offers an interactive platform for coping with stress and preventing depressive symptoms. The family coach depression of the AOK is aimed at relatives to help them deal better with the situation.
AOK Plus itself insures more than 57 percent of the legally insured persons in Saxony and Thuringia with over 3.5 million members. The comprehensive care and large number of offers that the cash register provide can help to reduce the increasing numbers of depression patients and offer those affected to faster help. Further details can be found in a detailed report on ABG-info.de
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Ort | Suhl, Deutschland |
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