Occupational stress claims: effects on workers' compensation.

1. Occupational mental stress disorders are the nation's fastest growing disease categories. Costs of stress and stress claims in terms of absenteeism, lost productivity, retraining, and health care are estimated to be up to $150 billion per year. 2. The many factors contributing to diseases make it difficult to attribute them solely to workplace condition. 3. Criteria for acceptance of mental stress claims vary by state, depending on whether the stress results from a work related injury (physical-mental), causes a work related injury (mental-physical), or neither stimulus nor response are of a physical nature (mental-mental). 4. Elimination of the factors causing stress and/or implementing stress reduction programs to help workers cope with stress are key components to a successful prevention program.