By Birgit Buerkner
Mental illnesses increased significantly in the times of Corona among Berliners and Brandenburgers. This is shown by the new cross-national health report 2022.
It combines data from six statutory health insurance companies, pension and statutory accident insurance and provides a comprehensive picture of the health situation of the working population for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021. In total, data from around 82 percent of the approximately 2.5 million employees subject to social security contributions were included.
Mental illnesses in the times of Corona – The results:
► Absences from work due to mental disorders rose to an average of 3.6 days per insured person in 2021 in Berlin. The Spandau district recorded the most days absent (4.4), the fewest in the middle.
► In Brandenburg, mental diagnoses came second with an average of 4.2 days per insured person (2019: 3.8 days). In both federal states, depression and reactions to severe stress and adjustment disorders were diagnosed most frequently.
► In Brandenburg diseases of the musculoskeletal system took first place and remained at a high level over the period (5.7 days).
► In Berlin, mental health was followed by back problems in second place (2021: 3.6 days). Insured persons from Marzahn-Hellersdorf had the most days of absence, the fewest from Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. By far the most common diagnoses were back pain and damage to the intervertebral discs.
► Overall, the highest level of sick leave (indicates the proportion of unemployed persons on average per calendar day): Marzahn-Hellersdorf (5.8 percent), Spandau (5.8 percent) and Reinickendorf (5.7 percent) as well as Elbe-Elster-Kreis ( 7.3 percent), Prignitz (7.1 percent) and Ostprignitz-Ruppin (7.1 percent).
However, the sick leave has fallen overall since 2019, in 2021 it was 4.6 percent in Berlin and 6.3 percent in Brandenburg.
On average, in the region in 2021, every employed insured person lost 19.4 days. Sick leave was rarer but longer. The decline in absenteeism primarily affected those who were able to work more from home.