For this year’s World Health Day on April 7, the World Health Organization is focusing on universal health coverage, ensuring that more people are not forced to choose between healthcare and expenses such as food, clothing and even a home.
On April 7, 2017, the theme of World Health Day was Depression: Let’s Talk, which generated a global conversation on the standard treatment of integrated healthcare that combines medical, psychiatric, and social care to help people live and thrive.
Dr. Denée Thomas Mwendwa is a professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Howard University. She is also the principal investigator (PI) in the Health Promotion Risk Reduction Research Center.
Her presentation at the BEYA STEM Conference in February focused on the influence of stress on the body and the ways to mitigate its consequences. "The Effects of Stress on Health" is a topic on negative emotional state occurring in response to life events.
Take a listen to The Effects of Stress on Health.
The hallmark of Dr. Denée Thomas Mwendwa's approach to spiritual, psychological and physical health is embracing the unique experiences of all people and incorporating these experiences to promote overall wellness.
Chronic stress can negatively impact health. Recent studies have found that stress increases the risk for diabetes, alters the acid concentration in the stomach, which can lead to ulcers and can also lead to plaque buildup in the arteries. Scientific evidence shows a correlation between stressful life events, depression, and the suppression of natural killer cells, which is actively involved in preventing cancer.