The relationship between work stress and mental health in medical workers in East China

We evaluated the relationship between work stress and mental health in 440 medical workers in East China. We used a modified version of the Work Stress Profile with good psychometric properties to evaluate 3 dimensions of work stress: task, interpersonal relationship, and role ambiguity. Results showed that role ambiguity work stress was higher in women than in men and overall work stress and task work stress were higher in married than in unmarried participants. In addition, overall work stress and interpersonal relationship work stress were higher in participants who worked in urban areas than in those who worked in rural areas. Work stress was positively correlated with mental health, which was measured with the Symptom Checklist-90-R. Interpersonal relationship work stress and role ambiguity work stress were significant predictors of mental health.