@article{ref1,
title="Association of long working hours with accidents and suicide mortality in Korea",
journal="Scandinavian journal of work, environment and health",
year="2020",
author="Lee, Hye-Eun and Kim, Inah and Kim, Hyoung-Ryoul and Kawachi, Ichiro",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVEs The deleterious health effects of long working hours have been previously investigated, but there is a dearth of studies on mortality resulting from accidents or suicide. This prospective study aims to examine the association between working hours and external-cause mortality (accidents and suicide) in Korea, a country with some of the longest working hours in the world. <br><br>METHODS Employed workers (N=14 484) participating in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were matched with the Korea National Statistical Office's death registry from 2007-2016 (person-years = 81 927.5 years, mean weighted follow-up duration = 5.7 years). Hazard ratios (HR) for accident (N=25) and suicide (N=27) mortality were estimated according to weekly working hours, with 35-44 hours per week as the reference. <br><br>RESULTS Individuals working 45-52 hours per week had higher risk of total external cause mortality compared to those working 35-44 hours per week [HR 2.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22-6.40], adjusting for sex, age, household income, education, occupation, and depressive symptoms. Among the external causes of death, suicide risk was higher (HR 3.89, 95% CI 1.06-14.29) for working 45-52 hours per week compared to working 35-44 hours per week. Working >52 hours per week also showed increased risk for suicide (HR 3.74, 95% CI 1.03-13.64). No statistically significant associations were found for accident mortality. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS Long working hours are associated with higher suicide mortality rates in Korea.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0355-3140",
doi="10.5271/sjweh.3890",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3890"
}