A seminar on "Early deaths from overwork" was held in the Sub-health Research Center of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences on February 27. Experts participated in the seminar analyzed the trend.
Interest in the subject has grown in recent years as cases were highlighted by the media and experts analyzed the growing problem at the seminar. Assistant researcher Liu Yi from the Sociology Department of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences discovered 102 pieces of evidence about the cases between 1990 and January 2006 on both Google and Baidu.
Liu suggests that the number of cases of "early death from overwork" is rising rapidly in modern times. Males make up the majority of victims with those working in the police, media, IT, entertainment, business, the civil service and science being particularly susceptible to the "early death from overwork" syndrome.
Liu have analyzed 92 cases within the seven professions and discovered the average age of death was 44. However, the average age in the IT sector was lowest at just 37.9.
Vice director of the Sub-health Research Center of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Xia Guomei, has taken a particular interest in the cases of middle-aged intellectuals who died young from overwork. She thinks the major causes with this particular group is the pressure of community responsibility, personal relationships and society's evaluation of them.
Xia suggests that although no employer has the right to expect the likes of researchers, scholars or professors to work overtime, many work much longer than the normal eight-hour day which is approved by state.
Many of the highly qualified people working in the modern world have to make achievements in their fields, publish essays and tutor graduate students at the same. These responsibilities weigh heavy, and along with the higher social demands placed upon them the intellectuals are under significant pressure.
Xia suggests that a relaxed and positive working-life environment be provided for these intellectuals.
(China.org.cn by Li Xiaohua, March 2, 2006)
