OBJECTIVE To explore the relationship between the depression symptoms and occupational stress in occupational populations. METHODS Depression symptoms were measured by using the center for epidemiological survey-depression scale. The occupational stress instrument were employed to investigate the stressors, personalities, social support, and coping strategies as well as the subject's age, length of service, sex, educational level and marriage status. Chi(2) test was used for analyzing the difference of depression. The multiple covariance analysis was used for testing the difference of stressors, personalities, social support, and coping strategies among the groups with different scores of depression. The variables obtained in the optional prediction equation were identified by multiple stepwise regression analysis. RESULTS The incidence rate of definite depression symptoms was 40.2%. The total average score was 21.74 +/- 8.99. Henan province had the highest incidence rate of depression symptoms, 43.8%, Hebei 39.4%, and Beijing the lowest, 23.4%. The male workers had the higher incidence rate of depression symptoms, 43. 0% than female, 35.4% (P < 0.01). The older group had the lower incidence rates of depression symptoms, compared with the younger group (P < 0.01). The workers divorced or with the bereft spouse had the higher incidence rate of depression symptoms than the workers married and unmarried (P < 0.05). The workers with middle school education had the higher incidence rates of depression symptoms than those with master degree. Incidence rates in the most occupational groups were more than 30%. The significant difference was shown between the different jobs (P < 0.01). The difference of the adjusted means among three groups of different depression score were analyzed. The results showed the workers with definite depression symptoms had the higher scores than the other two groups in physical factors, role ambiguity, role conflict, job monotony, mental load, responsibility for persons, job future ambiguity, job hazards, type A behavior and work locus of control, and social support (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The former had the lower scores than the other two groups in the scores of promotion, participation, autonomy, task identity, feedback, friendship opportunity, speed control, training adequacy, challenge, self-esteem, organizational commitment, and coping strategies. Fifteen variables entered the predictive equation of depression score explaining 33.1% of variance. CONCLUSIONS There are serious mental health problems in the occupational population in our country. Stressors and personalities affect the mental health.