Global, regional, and national burdens of ischemic heart disease and stroke attributable to exposure to long working hours for 194 countries, 2000–2016: A systematic analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury

Abstract

Highlights We present the first WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury. Globally in 2016, 488 million people were exposed to long working hours (≥55 hours/week). This exposure had 745,194 attributable deaths and 23.3 million DALYs from ischemic heart disease and stroke. These are 4.9% of all deaths and 6.9% of all DALYs from these causes. The Western Pacific, South-East Asia, men, and older people carried higher burdens.

Impact of Shift Work and Long Working Hours on Worker Cognitive Functions: Current Evidence and Future Research Needs

“…Regardless of the pattern of shift work, another element that could significantly impact the workers’ cognitive functions is the excessive length of the work shift, generally longer than 8 h each, that may overall be responsible for long working hours in a week that is usually categorized in three analytical categories of 41–48, 49–54, and ≥55 h/week [ 60 ] ( Table 4 ). This is a relevant issue considering the hazardous potential of the longest category (≥55 h) in inducing adverse health effects [ 60 ].…”

“…Regardless of the pattern of shift work, another element that could significantly impact the workers’ cognitive functions is the excessive length of the work shift, generally longer than 8 h each, that may overall be responsible for long working hours in a week that is usually categorized in three analytical categories of 41–48, 49–54, and ≥55 h/week [ 60 ] ( Table 4 ). This is a relevant issue considering the hazardous potential of the longest category (≥55 h) in inducing adverse health effects [ 60 ]. In detail, long shifts, night works and long working hours in a week would result in a combined action of both circadian rhythms alterations and increased levels of fatigue experienced which, in turn, could more severely affect the cognitive efficiency of workers.…”

Towards Personal Sustainability: Renewal as an Antidote to Stress

“…Continuously increasing professional demands have been leading to severe mental and physical distress among workers globally. A recently published study by the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that long working hours led to 745,000 deaths from stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016, which was a 29 per cent increase since 2000 [1]. The global COVID-19 pandemic significantly added to these challenges.…”

Cross-sectional association between long working hours and endoscopic gastritis: the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study

“…3 Until 2019, South Korea had the third-longest work week among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. 4 Many studies have found that workers with long working hours are at risk of various clinical diseases, such as coronary heart disease, 5 atrial fibrillation, 6 hypertension, 7 stroke, 5 8 metabolic syndrome, 9 diabetes mellitus, 10 non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, 11 depression, sleep disorder and all-causes mortality. 12 Although the causal pathways have not been fully explored, an irregular and unhealthy lifestyle, including smoking…”

“…Many studies have found that workers with long working hours are at risk of various clinical diseases, such as coronary heart disease, 5 atrial fibrillation, 6 hypertension, 7 stroke, 5 8 metabolic syndrome, 9 diabetes mellitus, 10 non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, 11 depression, sleep disorder and all-causes mortality. 12 Although the causal pathways have not been fully explored, an irregular and unhealthy lifestyle, including smoking and alcohol use, 13 14 and psychosocial stress caused by long working hours 9 15 have been considered the main contributing factors.…”