A Place for Stress

Stress is a real killer. Chronic stress is linked to several major causes of death and a majority of doctor visits. Scientists are finding that if we could manage stress better, we could save a lot of money and pain.

But stress is not an easy topic to tackle. If we hope to understand and reduce chronic stress, we must address it on biological, psychological, economic and policy levels.

Enter the ASU Stress Center, more formally known as the ASU Center for Study of Stress and Science. At the center, researchers from ASU and the surrounding biomedical community are joining forces to find answers. Research teams include scientists from diverse disciplines such as psychology, biology, nursing, family studies, health care administration and policy, economics, and bioengineering.

The Stress Center includes five working groups. They study stress in relation to cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, mental health and sleep disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, and environment.

The initial formation of this group was funded through Arizona’s Proposition 301 tax revenue. With its share of funding, the Stress Center has provided seed grants to individual researchers. These scientists are conducting pilot studies to collect data that can then be used use to attract larger grants from other funding sources.—Diane Boudreau