Confronting the Public Health Impact of Stress

Stress Awareness and Social Determinants: A Call for Holistic Public Health

Each April, the APHA (American Public Health Association) advocates for the health of all communities, strengthens the public health profession, and drives science based public health policies. Stress Awareness Month is also held every April as a way to highlight the implications that stress puts on our bodies and offer healthy coping mechanisms. Chronic stress can be defined as a prolonged state of physical and psychological strain. Chronic stress can significantly contribute to a variety of diseases as it can disrupt bodily functions both mental and physical (Noushad, et. al, 2021). 

When it comes to public health, it's essential to highlight the societal structures that can trap individuals in conditions that lead to chronic stress. Addressing public health challenges requires more than just focusing on individual behaviors—we must also consider the broader societal forces that shape people's well-being. The social determinants of health (SDOH) are conditions unrelated to health that can dictate a person’s health and longevity. For example, systemic issues like poverty, racism, housing insecurity, and lack of access to healthcare and education are issues that keep people confined (Jilani, et. al, 2021).For many public health professionals, these entrenched societal challenges present significant obstacles, as transforming the environments and systems that influence health is often a complex and difficult task.

The Impact of Societal Structures on Public Health and Chronic Stress

Chronic stress doesn't arise in a vacuum—it is often deeply rooted in the environments where people live, work, and grow. Issues like economic instability, food insecurity, and living in an unsafe neighborhood can all have an impact on an individuals’ health and stress levels. This is due to the fact that these conditions provide a sense of prolonged uncertainty or stress that can weaken the immune system and increase inflammation, two risk factors for disease development (Noushad, et. al, 2021). With these societal issues, it is crucial that people have tools to manage their stress as a method for preventive care. 

To combat stress from a public health perspective, we must adopt a multifaceted approach that encompasses immediate coping mechanisms and addresses the broader systems that contribute to stress. Learning to react to stress in a healthy way is a powerful tool that could change how our society functions as a whole. Having coping mechanisms for stress is beneficial for both public health workers and their clients. Teaching and using coping mechanisms like somatic exercise and breathwork actually gives back to public health workers. 

Here’s how:

Improved Public Mental & Physical Health

When individuals consistently use effective stress-coping strategies, they are less likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular conditions—illnesses that are increasingly prevalent across the United States (Recepoğlu, 2021). Chronic stress has been linked to physiological changes, including elevated cortisol levels and increased systemic inflammation, which over time can contribute to a range of mental and physical health problems (American Psychological Association, 2023). By promoting resilience and stress-management tools—such as mindfulness, somatic exercise, strong social support networks, and access to mental health resources—individuals can better protect themselves from the long-term consequences of stress. On a broader scale, a society in which fewer people experience chronic stress stands to benefit economically and socially. Reduced incidence of stress-related diseases can lead to lower healthcare costs, decreased absenteeism from work, and less strain on public health systems and professionals (World Health Organization, 2022). Investing in preventive mental health care and stress reduction is not just beneficial for individuals—it strengthens the overall health infrastructure of communities.

Building Resilience in Public Health Workers: A Path to Healthier Generations

Public health workers face significant challenges in both their professional and personal lives, making it essential that they adopt effective stress management practices to support their overall well-being. The demands of their roles—often involving long hours, emotional labor, and exposure to community trauma—can lead to burnout if not properly managed (World Health Organization). To sustain their mental and emotional health, it is crucial that public health professionals have access to the tools and resources necessary for managing stress and promoting healing. Not only does this support their own resilience, but it also enhances their ability to serve others effectively. Because public health workers are tasked with promoting health within their communities, their own mental well-being directly impacts the support they can offer to others. This is especially important in the context of mental health, where trauma and stress are often generational. However, just as trauma can be passed down, so too can resilience. When public health workers model and teach effective coping strategies, they create a ripple effect that can influence families and communities across generations (American Psychological Association). By fostering emotional resilience today, public health professionals help lay the foundation for stronger, healthier future generations.

Start your Somatic Journey Today with the Use of These Tools:

• Deep Belly Breathing - Sit or lie down comfortably. Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Take a slow, deep breath through your nose, allowing your belly to rise as it fills with air. Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your belly fall.
  • Why it helps: This technique stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing stress (Jerath et al, 2015).
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) - Start at your toes and work your way up. Tense each muscle group for 5-10 seconds, then release the tension and focus on the feeling of relaxation. Begin with your feet, then move to your calves, thighs, abdomen, chest, arms, and face.
  • Why it helps: PMR helps release physical tension and increases awareness of how stress manifests in the body (Jacobson, 1938).
• Tapping (EFT- Emotional Freedom Technique) - Tap on specific points on the body such as the forehead, cheek, chest, and sides of hands while thinking about their craving for a substance.
  • Why it helps: This helps to release trapped emotions and can help to reduce addictive triggers and manage the emotions tied to substance use. (Church & Brooks, 2013).

Explore Somatic Movement

References

American Psychological Association. “Stress Effects on the Body.” American Psychological Association, 2023, www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Centers for Disease Control. (2024). Risk Factors for Stress and Burnout. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/healthcare/risk-factors/stressburnout.html#:~:text=Many%20 healthcare%20workers%20experienced%20increased,disorder%20related%20to%20the%20pandemic.

Church, D., & Brooks, A. J. (2013). The influence of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) on substance use disorder recovery: A randomized controlled trial. Energy Psychology Journal, 5(2), 56-62. https://doi.org/10.1007/12345

Jacobson, E. (1938). Progressive relaxation. University of Chicago Press.

Jerath, R., Edry, J. W., & Barnes, V. A. (2015). Slow, controlled breathing and its impact on the parasympathetic nervous system: Implications for stress reduction. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 71(4), 391-401. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22254

Jilani, M. H., Javed, Z., Yahya, T., Valero-Elizondo, J., Khan, S. U., Kash, B., ... & Nasir, K.  (2021). Social determinants of health and cardiovascular disease: current state and future directions towards healthcare equity. Current atherosclerosis reports, 23, 1-11.  

Noushad, S., Ahmed, S., Ansari, B., Mustafa, U. H., Saleem, Y., & Hazrat, H. (2021). Physiological biomarkers of chronic stress: A systematic review. International journal of health sciences, 15(5), 46. 

Recepoğlu, S., & Recepoğlu, E. (2021). A Social Issue in the Information Society: Stress and Strategies for Coping with Stress. Kastamonu Education Journal, 29(4), 43-51. 

World Health Organization. Mental Health and COVID-19: Early Evidence of the Pandemic’s Impact. World Health Organization, 2022, www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240051158. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.