Sickness absences due to mental health issues are rising sharply in Spain, particularly among young workers. According to recent data, cases of work incapacity among 25- to 35-year-olds have more than doubled over the past seven years. At the same time, the duration of these absences has increased significantly, now averaging around 80 days per case.
Spain Press Editorial Team
by Marlon Gallego Bosbach
Significant increase since 2017
According to recent analyses, the number of sickness absences due to mental health issues and behavioural disorders has increased by more than 130 per cent since 2017. In 2024, over 200,000 such cases were recorded. Mental health conditions are thus among the fastest-growing causes of work incapacity in Spain.
Young adults are among those most affected
Young adults in the early and mid stages of their working lives are particularly affected. With more than four cases per 1,000 employees, this age group has the highest incidence of all age brackets. Experts view this as a warning sign for the long-term stability of the labour market and the mental health of a generation already shaped by economic uncertainty, precarious employment, and the consequences of the pandemic.
Longer duration of work incapacity
In addition to the rising number of cases, the increasing duration of sickness absences is also a cause for concern. While mental health-related work absences were significantly shorter on average a few years ago, the median duration is now around two and a half months. As a result, they account for considerably more lost working days than physical conditions such as respiratory or musculoskeletal disorders.
Pronounced regional differences
Notable are also the pronounced regional differences. The highest rates of mental health-related sickness absences are found in Catalonia, the Canary Islands, and Navarra. In other regions, such as Castilla-La Mancha or Extremadura, the figures are well below the national average. Significant variations between the autonomous communities are also evident in the duration of work incapacity.
Political debate over costs and oversight
The trend has sparked a political debate. The Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF) has warned about the rising costs to the social and healthcare system and called for more efficient monitoring and prevention mechanisms. At the same time, trade unions and health experts emphasise that mental health conditions should not primarily be seen as a matter of control, but rather as a structural challenge concerning working conditions, prevention, and care provision.
Structural causes in the work environment
Experts point to several factors behind the increase: rising work pressure, insecure employment, high living costs, and growing awareness of mental health, which leads those affected to seek medical help more frequently.
Mental health as a central challenge
According to experts, the figures indicate that mental health is likely to become a central issue in the workplace in the coming years—particularly for young employees, whose limits of resilience are becoming increasingly apparent.
