In the first global study on deaths associated with long working hours, the World Health Organization has revealed that working long hours kills hundreds of thousands of people each year, a trend that is worsening and may accelerate further due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A research paper published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health indicated that 745,000 people died from strokes or heart diseases related to long working hours in 2016, marking a 30% increase since 2000.
Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at the WHO, stated, "Working 55 hours or more per week poses a serious health risk." The joint study conducted by the WHO and the International Labour Organization found that the majority of the victims (72%) were men, mostly middle-aged or older. The study also noted that the most affected individuals lived in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific region, including China, Japan, and Australia.
The study was based on data from 194 countries, confirming that working 55 hours or more per week is associated with a 35% increased risk of stroke and a 17% increased risk of death from heart diseases compared to those working between 35 to 40 hours weekly. The study covered the period from 2000 to 2016 and did not include the COVID-19 pandemic; however, WHO officials indicated that the increase in remote work and the slowdown of the global economy caused by the coronavirus emergency may have heightened these risks.
