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Century's
worth of research may
show the way that stress, social
and behavioral factors contribute to death
Social and behavioral factors, such as stress, contribute to more
than half the deaths in the United States, says psychologist Oakley Ray,
Ph.D., of Vanderbilt University's Departments of Psychology, Psychiatry
and Pharmacology. In an article in the American Psychologist journal,
the Vanderbilt researcher contends that it's time to address the issues
that cause and support this and other behavioral health issues.
Ray recently reviewed a century's worth of psychological literature on
stress, disease and behavioral medicine, adding to the growing body of
evidence about the impact of nonbiological factors on health.
Recent research has found that stresses that affect the brain can hurt
the body at the cellular and molecular level, resulting in diminished
health and quality of life. On the other hand, maintaining a positive
frame of mind can help people fend off some of these stress effects,
combat disease and live longer.
According to Ray, the challenge now is to bring this new knowledge to
the healthcare system. "Knowing how the brain influences people's
health and susceptibility to illness can bring important changes to the
healthcare system," says Ray. "Understanding how the mind, the
endocrine system, the nervous system and immune system…all interact is
crucial in helping people conquer the stress in their lives and stay
healthy."
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