In order to clarify the health effects of work stress and possible strategy for its prevention and treatment, we reviewed the literature on work stress as follows:1) Review was made on 12 major psychosocial work stressors, 4 acute reactions to stress, disease outcome of work stress, measurement methods of those variables, and theoretical models of work stress.2) Epidemiological studies of the effects of work stressors on cardiovascular diseases, psychological distress and mental disorders in Japan were reviewed. Also, work stress in specific occupations such as software engineers, nurses and female researchers was reviewed.3) The following strategies for the prevention and treatment of the health effects of work stress were reviewed: i) surveillance of work stress, ii) improvement of psychosocial work environment, iii) education and information dissemination, and iv) reinforcement of occupational mental health services.Finally, the need for further investigation on the health effects of work stress and on the possible programs for the prevention and treatment in occupational health care system was discussed. © 1993, Japan Society for Occupational Health. All rights reserved.