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Cancer, diabetes, heart disease For women, long hours are a health risk
Women often have to overcome particularly high barriers in their careers, as they are often responsible for a large part of their family responsibilities and can also compensate for interruptions from possible pregnancies. As fast as possible, many plan to return to work full-time, which is usually associated with working hours of 40 hours or more. A decision that is financially worthwhile, but which can have serious long-term health consequences, according to a recent study in the US.
The Ohio State University and Mayo Clinic US scientists investigated the relationship between weekly working hours and the risk of serious illnesses such as cancer, heart disease or diabetes. For women, they found a fatal effect of long working hours. With more than 40 hours of work per week, her risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and diabetes rose significantly, according to Ohio State University. The researchers have published the results of their study in the journal "Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine".
Long working hours pose a particular threat to women's health. (Image: sebra / fotollia.com) Relationship between chronic diseases and working hours
Researchers analyzed the association between the onset of severe illness and weekly working hours based on available data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. Over a period of 32 years, working hours as well as the occurrence of chronic illnesses were documented here. The researchers focused on eight clinical pictures in their study: heart disease, cancer (excluding skin cancer), arthritis or rheumatism, diabetes or high blood sugar, chronic lung disease (including bronchitis or emphysema), asthma, depression and high blood pressure.
Stress, sleep and digestion problems known consequences
Previous research has already shown that workers who work long hours are more stressed, more likely to develop sleep and digestive problems, and more tired. "Their work is slowing down and they have more injuries at work," says Professor Allard Dambe of Ohio State University. So far, however, there is limited data on the link between long working hours and chronic illness, as the long-term survey of work patterns and state of health is extremely difficult. In their current study, the researchers used the data from participants in the "National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979", who were at least 40 years old in 1998.
Men have little health disadvantages due to long working hours
The analysis of the data from approximately 7,500 participants showed that only a minority of full-time employees in the study worked 40 hours or less per week. "56 percent worked on average 41 to 50 hours; 13 percent worked on average 51 to 60 hours; and 3 percent on average more than 60 hours, "the scientists report. According to the researchers, however, men were hardly impaired in their health by long working hours. Only the likelihood of arthritis was increased "and men who had moderately long working hours (41 to 50 hours per week) even showed a lower risk of heart disease, lung disease and depression than those who worked 40 hours or less," write Prof. Dembe and colleagues.
Increased risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis and diabetes in women
By contrast, according to the researchers, female full-time employees showed a striking relationship between long working hours and the onset of heart disease, cancer, arthritis and diabetes. "Women - especially women juggling multiple roles - are feeling the effects of intense work and may be laying the groundwork for a variety of illnesses and disabilities," warns Professor Dembe. Women would tend to take the lion's share of family responsibilities and face more pressure and stress when working long hours than men. In addition, the work for women - because of the need to combine work demands with family responsibilities - could be less satisfactory, so Dembe.
The researchers emphasize that employers and government regulators need to be aware of the risks of long hours, especially for women who regularly work more than 40 hours a week. Because in the long term, the company benefits in terms of the quality of work and the cost of medical care, if the employees are healthier. "The early onset of chronic diseases can not only reduce people's life expectancy and quality of life, but also significantly increase long-term health care costs"; emphasize the US scientists. (Fp)