New global indicator for workers’ health: mortality rate from diseases attributable to selected occupational risk factors

Abstract

Through sustainable development goals 3 and 8 and other policies, countries have committed to protect and promote workers’ health by reducing the work-related burden of disease. To monitor progress on these commitments, indicators that capture the work-related burden of disease should be available for monitoring workers’ health and sustainable development. The World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization estimate that only 363 283 (19%) of 1 879 890 work-related deaths globally in 2016 were due to injuries, whereas 1 516 607 (81%) deaths were due to diseases. Most monitoring systems focusing on workers’ health or sustainable development, such as the global indicator framework for the sustainable development goals, include an indicator on the burden of occupational injuries. Few such systems, however, have an indicator on the burden of work-related diseases. To address this gap, we present a new global indicator: mortality rate from diseases attributable to selected occupational risk factors, by disease, risk factor, sex and age group. We outline the policy rationale of the indicator, describe its data sources and methods of calculation, and report and analyse the official indicator for 183 countries. We also provide examples of the use of the indicator in national workers’ health monitoring systems and highlight the indicator’s strengths and limitations. We conclude that integrating the new indicator into monitoring systems will provide more comprehensive and accurate surveillance of workers’ health, and allow harmonization across global, regional and national monitoring systems. Inequalities in workers’ health can be analysed and the evidence base can be improved towards more effective policy and systems on workers’ health.

Worker’s Compensation Injury and Illness Care: A Global Round Table

“…In 2016, work-related injuries (about 30%) and illnesses (about 70%) caused the loss of 90 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) internationally (World Health Organization & International Labour Organization, 2021). These numbers are considered underestimates due to significant underreporting of work-related accidents and injuries (Pega et al, 2023).…”

How can Ministries of Health and Labour add the new indicator on work-related diseases to the monitoring system for the United Nations global goals?

“…This first global tracking of the burden of occupational injuries substantially advances global workers’ health monitoring. Here, we outline the technical case for adding the new global indicator on noncommunicable work-related diseases 4 ) launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners in 2023 and describe the processes and opportunities that Ministries of Health and Labour can pursue to contribute to this over the next decade (if they so wish).…”

“…The Organizations estimated that of 1,879,890 work-related deaths globally in 2016, injuries caused only 363,283 (19%), whereas diseases caused 1,516,607 (81%) 6 ) . Given this new evidence base, the SDGs’ monitoring system 3 ) is arguably insufficiently aligned with the occupational burden of disease 4 , 6 ) .…”

“… Policy commitments to use the new indicator on fatal work-related diseases and use of the indicator in monitoring systems. Adapted and updated from: Pega et al 2023 4 ) . EU: European Union; IAEG-SDGs: Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators; ILO: International Labour Organization; SDGs: Sustainable Development Goals; WHO: World Health Organization; WHO/ILO Joint Estimates: WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury.…”

“…In 2019, WHO and the ILO proposed 41 ) to the Inter-agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) 42 ) , comprising Member States represented by their national statistical offices, to add an indicator on fatal work-related diseases 41 ) to the SDGs Global Indicator Framework 3 ) . In 2023, WHO and partners in four Member States (China, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Italy, South Africa) co-launched such an indicator 4 ) based on the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates 6 ) : “ Mortality rate per 100,000 working-age population from diseases attributable to selected occupational risk factors, by disease, risk factor, sex and age group ” 4 ) . Using UN established methods 3 ) and official, open-access data sources 6 , 43 ) , WHO produces this official indicator disaggregated by sex and age group for 183 countries, to leave no worker behind in global health monitoring.…”