Register absenteeism due to mental illness

The prolonged crisis situation of the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the mental balance of many people. There is now numerical proof of this.

For example, absenteeism due to mental illness reached a record level in the Swiss economy. According to experts, the increase is 20 percent compared to the previous year. Andreas Heimer (58) from insurance company PK Rück told “NZZ am Sonntag”.

The assessment is based on data from approximately 250,000 employees from 6,000 companies. However, Heimer does not attribute the increase only to the Covid pandemic. The increase reflects a “structural trend”.

Various new diseases

Heimer also warns of a new wave of retirees in disability insurance (IV). The number of new retirees in IV increased by 16 percent last year. Every second case is psychological. Various new clinical manifestations such as post-traumatic stress disorders, adjustment disorders, fatigue syndrome or post-Covid syndrome are on the rise.

There is often no clear therapeutic decision for these and so there is a lot of room for interpretation. One of the consequences: according to research, every second of psychological inactivity leads to quitting. Some never return to work.

Many young people affected

Particularly worrying: this phenomenon affects many young people. Seven out of ten IV retirees in the 18 to 24 age group suffer from mental illness. That’s four times more than 25 years ago.

If a person becomes unable to work, the daily allowance insurance covers the loss of wages first. Health insurance company Swica is the largest provider of daily allowance insurance and confirms the trend. Accordingly, the number of cases in the field of psychiatric diseases increased by 15 percent this year.

This development challenges IV and day leave insurers. For Heimer, there are currently few good opportunities to keep people with mental health problems at work. (sda/rae)