OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between occupational stress and mental health in offshore oil platform workers and to provide a scientific basis for protection of their mental health.

METHODSA total of 768 workers on offshore oil platform were surveyed with the Occupational Stress Inventory Revised Edition and Symptom Check List-90 (SCL-90).

RESULTSThe total score of Occupational Role Questionnaire (ORQ) for the workers (160.27±24.63) was significantly lower than the national norm (166.52±27.01) (P < 0.01); the total score of Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ) (101.96±19.8) was significantly higher than the national norm (92.45±17.33) (P < 0.01). The total score of Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ) for the workers was not significantly different from the national norm (P > 0.05), but the items of recreation, social support, and rational/cognitive found significant difference (P < 0.05). The total score of SCL-90 was positively correlated with all items of ORQ and PSQ (P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with all items of PRQ (P < 0.01). The multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that current work seniority, education background, drinking, role overload, role insufficiency, role ambiguity, responsibility, physical environment, and rational/cognitive conduct impacted the score of SCL-90 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe mental health of workers on offshore oil platform is related to occupational stress, and role overload, role ambiguity, physical environment, and rational/cognitive conduct, etc, are closely associated with the workers' mental health.