Tip Sheet for Public Health Professionals: Community Stress

Tip Sheet for Public Health Professionals

Purpose

  • Supporting communities dealing with the stress of environmental contamination
  • Helping residents manage stress by acknowledging uncertainties, listening to their concerns, and providing reliable information.
  • Engaging with local experts and offer resources on stress management.
  • Ensuring you practice self-care to maintain your own well-being.
Smiling woman shakes hands with a senior woman at the door .

You can help manage stress

In an area where the air, water, or soil may be contaminated, the people you serve may be facing difficult questions:

  • Could chemicals in my community be causing health problems?
  • How can I protect myself and my family?
  • Where can I get reliable information about what's happening?

During uncertain times, it's normal for people to feel stressed or even overwhelmed. Because environmental contamination concerns can take months or years to address, stress may become an ongoing issue for affected residents.

As a public health professional, you have an important role to play. While you can't change what's happened, you can validate residents' experiences, offer support, and help them manage stress.

Why stress matters

Stress is a natural response to new, uncertain, or threatening situations, but too much stress can interfere with everyday life. Chronic stress can also raise the risk of health problems like heart disease and high blood pressure.

So, when you're working with communities affected by environmental concerns, keep stress in mind. Be ready to provide support and resources to residents.

Learn more with ATSDR's Community Stress Resource Center.

Acknowledge uncertainty

In an uncertain situation, people want all the information they can get. Be upfront about what you know (and don’t know) about potential health risks or safety issues. Don’t downplay residents’ worries. Instead, acknowledge that dealing with so much uncertainty is hard. You don’t have all the answers, but you’re here to help. Residents will appreciate any details you can share.

Show residents you’re listening.

Residents may lose trust in the government and local organizations. This is why it's important to let them know you take their health and safety concerns seriously. Help residents feel heard by paying attention to their concerns and reflecting them back in your own words.

Recognize community expertise.

Another way of listening is to engage with other local resources and acknowledge their expertise. Listening to community groups can provide invaluable experience, support, and firsthand knowledge of the community's needs.

Share resources wisely.

When residents ask for more information about local environmental issues, provide or point them to reliable resources. Make sure these resources include specific and realistic action steps. If residents mention feeling stressed or overwhelmed, consider sharing resources about stress from environmental contamination — like our Stress Fact Sheet. You'll find it and other resources in our ATSDR Community Stress Resource Center.

If you choose to share resources about stress, be sure to distribute them. Be sure to include resources about the specific contaminants and related health risks that are affecting the community. It's best to share stress-focused materials during individual or small group conversations.

Take care of yourself.

Addressing community members' concerns can take a toll. If you live in the same community, you may have similar worries about your own health and safety. When you're focused on helping community members, it's easy to overlook your own needs. Be sure to practice self-care by:

  • Getting plenty of sleep
  • Staying physically active
  • Practicing mindfulness —for example, meditating or journaling
  • Making time for other activities that you enjoy

And if you find yourself struggling with stress, reach out to your health care provider for help.

Questions?

Contact ATSDR at ATSDRstress@cdc.gov.

Download Printable Tip Sheet