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Long working hours and cardiovascular disease mortality: Prospective evidence from the United States

Yiran Gu1, Timothy A Matthews2, Jian Li3

  • 1Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Preventive Medicine
|January 13, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Working long hours increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk. Individuals with lower socioeconomic status face higher risks, emphasizing the need for workplace health interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Occupational Health
  • Cardiovascular Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in the United States.
  • The impact of long working hours on CVD mortality requires further investigation within a national context.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the prospective association between long working hours and CVD mortality.
  • To identify if socioeconomic status modifies the relationship between working hours and CVD mortality.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Midlife in the U.S. (MIDUS) Study (n=4051).
  • Categorized working hours (<35, 35-40, 41-48, 49-54, ≥55 h/week).
  • Employed Cox proportional hazards regression and stratified analyses by socioeconomic status.

Main Results:

  • Working ≥55 hours per week was significantly associated with increased CVD mortality (aHR 1.50).
  • Individuals with low education or poor financial status exhibited a higher risk of CVD mortality when working long hours.

Conclusions:

  • Long working hours are a significant risk factor for CVD mortality in U.S. workers.
  • Low socioeconomic status exacerbates the risk of CVD mortality associated with long working hours.
  • Workplace interventions addressing working hours are crucial for improving cardiovascular health outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
Cardiovascular diseaseLong working hoursMortalityProspective cohort studyUnited States

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