Individuals working at least 55 hours a week are at increased risk of suffering from stroke and dying from ischemic heart disease, according to a new study published by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization.
In 2016, 398,000 people died from stroke, and 347,000 from heart disease as a result of working such long hours. That’s an increase of 19% and 42% of people who died from stroke and heart disease, respectively, since 2000. The study was based on data from over 23,000 surveys in 154 countries from 1970 to 2018.
Men were particularly affected, as they represented 72% of the reported deaths. People living in Western Pacific and Southeast Asia were also significantly affected. Over 46% of deaths from ischemic heart disease and 40% of deaths from stroke were from Southeast Asia.
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While 18% of deaths from ischemic heart disease and 36% of deaths from stroke were from the Western Pacific region.
Most of the deaths were among people aged 60 to 79 years old who had worked 55 hours or more per week between the ages of 45 and 74 years old.
Why it matters: The study estimates that 9% of the global population are working long hours, putting more people at risk of suffering from stroke and death. The COVID-19 pandemic has also changed the way people work: leaving many to work longer hours, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“No job is worth the risk of stroke or heart disease. Governments, employers and workers need to work together to agree on limits to protect the health of workers,” Tedros said in a news release.
About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
