Psychosocial factors and worker mental health in Chile

20% of Chileans report to have suffered from a mental health problem during the past year. The relation between work related psychosocial factors and mental disorder is not sufficiently known in Chile. The purpose of this study is to determine a possible association between psycho social factors at the workplace and intensity of emotional distress. Method: a cross sectional study of a sample of 677 service workers applying a Spanish version of the COPSOQ and the GHQ-12 instruments previously validated in Chile. Results: the three factors studied correlates significantly with the level of emotional distress at work: psychological demands (r= 0.094; p=0,013), control over own tasks (r=0,218; p<0,001), and social support at work (r=0,160; p<0,001). Conclusion: work related psychosocial factors are relevant to worker mental health among service workers and they should be considered in OSH policies and programs.