Stress and Disease

Dr. Donald B. Giddon Harvard University, Fall 2013

Types of Stressors Question I - What factors are stressful for a given individual?

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Types of Stressors

• Physical• Biological• Chemical• Psychosocial

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What makes an event or stressor stressful?

• Differences between animals and humans– Sapolsky– Executive monkey

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- Radiation- Physical Impact- Trauma- Crowding

Population density

Physical Stressors

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Biological Stressors• Predators

• Micro-organisms

• Food supply

• Sleep deprivation

• Substance withdrawal

• Allergens

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Chemical Stressors•Toxins

• Water

• Airborne

• Chemical

weapons

• Environmental

pollutants

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Biological Stressors – Food

Each year, about 76 million people in the United States become ill from the food they eat, and about 5,000 of them die.

According to the C.S.P.I.*, the riskiest foods are:1. Leafy greens2. Eggs3. Tuna

*Center for Science in the Public Interest

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/top-10-food-poisoning-risks/7

CROWDING

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CROWDING9

CROWDING (at the wrong time in the wrong place in the wrong job)

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Species Differences for Crowding as a Stressor

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It is sometimes difficult to separate space as a physical stressor from space as a psychosocial stressor

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Interpersonal Impact - Personal Space, cf. with Crowding as a Physical Stressor

13Hall, E.T. The Hidden Dimension. Anchor, 1990

Psychosocial StressorsSource:

• Family and significant othersoCare giversoSiblings oGenerational oBirth order

• Friends• Roommates • Colleagues 14

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•Occupation oTrainingoResponsibilitiesoJob satisfaction oInterpersonal relationsoRole stress and personalityoUnemploymentoRetirementoPredictabilityoLack of control

Psychosocial Stressors (cont’d)

Psychosocial Stressors (cont’d)• Role Stress

- Overload - Conflict - Ambiguity

• Role vs. Status

• Situational o Religious affiliationo Gender differenceso Restriction of personal spaceo Bereavemento Other situational stressors :

– Public speaking - Daily hassles - Exams - Gender inequities– Sensory

– Surprise/ Startle - Overload - Deprivation

• Perception as an intervening variable

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Links Between Work and Adult Health

From: Clougherty et al., 2010, Fig. 3 18