The report, “Chronic Stress: Are we reaching health system burnout?,” finds that 91% of people in Asia are stressed and that 80% say they are ‘always on.’ That compares with 84% of people globally who report being stressed and 64% saying they are ‘always on.’
Australia’s healthcare system, more than any other country in the Asia Pacific region, had the highest overall cost, US$22.9 billion, due to stress-related illness. This represented 18.8% of its total health expenditures. For Singapore, stress-related illness on its healthcare system amounted to US$2.3 billion, or 18% of its health expenditures.
“Employers need to be aware that mental ill-health caused by a poor working environment can be as serious as a physically unsafe environment, and have legal implications,” the report notes.