Working hours and cardiovascular disease in Korean workers: a case-control study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Cardiovascular Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Long working hours are a known occupational hazard linked to adverse health outcomes.
• Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent a significant public health concern globally.
• Understanding the specific risks associated with varying working hours and CVD subtypes is crucial for worker protection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between working hours and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in Korean workers.
• To compare the risk of different CVD subtypes (cerebral infarction, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, acute myocardial infarction) in relation to working hours.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study design was employed using data from the Occupational Cardiovascular Diseases Surveillance 2010.
• Cases comprised 348 patients diagnosed with CVD, while 769 controls had no history of CVD, matched for key demographics and occupation.
• Both short-term (previous week) and long-term (past three months) working hours were assessed.

Main Results:

• Adjusted analyses revealed increased odds ratios (ORs) for CVD with both very short (≤40 hours) and long working hours (>60 hours) in the short-term.
• Long-term effects showed elevated ORs for CVD with working ≤40 hours and >52 hours.
• The degree of risk associated with working hours varied across different CVD subtypes.

Conclusions:

• Both prolonged and potentially short working hours are associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• The risk magnitude for CVDs differs depending on the specific subtype.
• Further prospective research focusing on specific disease risks is warranted to refine these findings.