One in 10 working people surveyed in Europe have taken time off work because of depression according to a new survey from the European Depression Association. This equates to more than 21,000 days of lost working time in this group of people. The IDEA survey (Impact of Depression in the Workplace in Europe Audit) found that 20% of respondents had received a diagnosis of depression at some point. The highest rate was in GB at 26% and among workers in GB experiencing depression, 58% were most likely to take time off work. The costs of depression were estimated at €92 billion, with lost productivity due to absenteeism (taking time off work) and presenteeism (being present at work while ill) representing over 50% of all costs related to depression. The average number of days taken off work during an episode of depression was 36 days, with GB having the highest at 41 days.
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