Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
The new WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury
Dublin Core
Title
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
The new WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury
The new WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury
Subject
The new WHO/ILO Joint Estimates, Work, Burden of Disease and Injury
Description
Introduction: Previously, the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) produced separate estimates of the work-related burden of disease. Since 2016, following requests from Member States and United Nations reform, these Specialized Agencies have developed and produced a single set of interagency estimates, supported by over 200 individual experts in 35 countries. These are the new WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury (WHO/ILO Joint Estimates). In 2019, a Collaboration Agreement was signed to establish and regularly produce these estimates.
Materials and Methods: WHO and ILO harmonized their estimation methods for 39 established pairs of occupational risk factors and health outcomes. For additional pairs, the agencies conducted 15 systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the latest bodies of evidence. To date, from these systematic reviews, the evidence has been judged as sufficient to produce WHO/ILO Joint Estimates for two of the additional pairs: stroke and ischemic heart disease attributable to exposure to long working hours (55 hours/week). Using the global Comparative Risk Assessment framework, estimates were produced for the 39 established pairs. Additionally, the disease burden was quantified for the two additional pairs. For these, population attributable fractions were calculated by combining risk ratios obtained in the WHO/ILO systematic reviews, with data on prevalence of exposure to long working hours ob-
tained from new WHO/ILO exposure databases (>2,300 surveys). The population-attributable fractious were applied to WHO’s burden of disease envelopes. Global, regional and national estimates were produced for 183 countries, by sex and age, for the years 2000, 2010 and 2016.
Results: An estimated 1.88 (95% uncertainty range 1.84e1.92) million deaths and 89.72 (95% uncertainty range 88.61e90.83) million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were attributable to the 41 included occupational risk factor-health outcome pairs, globally in 2016. Diseases accounted for 80.7% of the deaths and 70.5% of the DALYs, whereas injuries accounted for 19.3% of deaths and 29.5% of DALYs. Almost 40% of deaths and 26% of DALYs were due to exposure to long working hours, establishing this as the occupational risk factor with the largest burden. While the absolute numbers of work-related deaths and DALYs increased from 2000 to 2016, rates per 100 000 working-age
population decreased. Disproportionately large burden is carried by the WHO African Region (for DALYs), South-East Asia Region, and Western Pacific Region (for deaths), as well as males and older age groups.
Conclusions: The WHO/ILO Joint Estimates highlight the large work-related burden of disease, particularly the newly quantified burden from exposure to long working hours. They can be used as indicators for monitoring workers’ health and to aid development and evaluation of laws, policies and actions to prevent exposure to occupational risk factors and the attributable disease burdens. To progressive quantify more of the work-related burden of disease, more pairs must be established in future estimation cycle; this requires more data and evidence on exposures and their effects, especially from low- and middle-income countries.
Materials and Methods: WHO and ILO harmonized their estimation methods for 39 established pairs of occupational risk factors and health outcomes. For additional pairs, the agencies conducted 15 systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the latest bodies of evidence. To date, from these systematic reviews, the evidence has been judged as sufficient to produce WHO/ILO Joint Estimates for two of the additional pairs: stroke and ischemic heart disease attributable to exposure to long working hours (55 hours/week). Using the global Comparative Risk Assessment framework, estimates were produced for the 39 established pairs. Additionally, the disease burden was quantified for the two additional pairs. For these, population attributable fractions were calculated by combining risk ratios obtained in the WHO/ILO systematic reviews, with data on prevalence of exposure to long working hours ob-
tained from new WHO/ILO exposure databases (>2,300 surveys). The population-attributable fractious were applied to WHO’s burden of disease envelopes. Global, regional and national estimates were produced for 183 countries, by sex and age, for the years 2000, 2010 and 2016.
Results: An estimated 1.88 (95% uncertainty range 1.84e1.92) million deaths and 89.72 (95% uncertainty range 88.61e90.83) million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were attributable to the 41 included occupational risk factor-health outcome pairs, globally in 2016. Diseases accounted for 80.7% of the deaths and 70.5% of the DALYs, whereas injuries accounted for 19.3% of deaths and 29.5% of DALYs. Almost 40% of deaths and 26% of DALYs were due to exposure to long working hours, establishing this as the occupational risk factor with the largest burden. While the absolute numbers of work-related deaths and DALYs increased from 2000 to 2016, rates per 100 000 working-age
population decreased. Disproportionately large burden is carried by the WHO African Region (for DALYs), South-East Asia Region, and Western Pacific Region (for deaths), as well as males and older age groups.
Conclusions: The WHO/ILO Joint Estimates highlight the large work-related burden of disease, particularly the newly quantified burden from exposure to long working hours. They can be used as indicators for monitoring workers’ health and to aid development and evaluation of laws, policies and actions to prevent exposure to occupational risk factors and the attributable disease burdens. To progressive quantify more of the work-related burden of disease, more pairs must be established in future estimation cycle; this requires more data and evidence on exposures and their effects, especially from low- and middle-income countries.
Creator
Frank Pega
Publisher
Elsevier Korea LLC
Date
January 2022
Contributor
Sri Wahyuni
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Text
Coverage
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
Files
Citation
Frank Pega, “Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
The new WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 4, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2559.
The new WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 4, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2559.