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Working more than 55 hours a week increases the risk of death from heart disease and stroke. This is the finding of a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labor Organization (ILO), the results of which were published this Monday, May 17, 2021 in the journal Environment International.
Long working hours can lead to premature death
For the first, a global study looked at the loss of human life and health damage associated with long working hours. Indeed, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) conducted a study in which they show that working 55 hours or more per week increases the risk of death from heart disease and stroke. According to Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Environment, Climate Change and Health Department at WHO, “ working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard “.
In detail, the results of the study published this Monday, May 17, 2021 in the journal Environment International, show that working 55 hours or more per week is associated with a 35% increase in the risk of stroke ( Stroke) and a 17% risk of dying from ischemic heart disease compared to working 35-40 hours per week. For Dr Maria Neira, “ It is time for everyone – governments, employers and workers alike – to finally admit that long working hours can lead to premature death. “.
First risk factor for occupational disease
According to the World Health Organization, “ now that around a third of the total estimated work-related disease burden is known to be attributable to long working hours, this makes it the number one risk factor for occupational disease “. If the experts found no difference between the sexes, they still reveal that the disease burden is particularly high among men due to their greater representation of workers in the world. They also pointed out that the disease burden is greatest among people living in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia regions.
A phenomenon that could increase with the Covid-19 pandemic
Faced with this observation, the WHO is expressing its concerns, especially since the number of people working long hours is increasing and is expected to increase further with the Covid-19 pandemic. For exemple, ” the number of working hours increased by around 10% during confinement ”According to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
” Telecommuting has become the norm in many industries, often blurring the lines between home and work. In addition, many companies have been forced to cut back or shut down their operations to save money and the people they continue to employ end up with longer working hours. Explained Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of WHO. According to him, “ no job is worth taking the risk of stroke or heart disease. Governments, employers and workers must work together to agree on limits to protect workers’ health “.