Life Events and Autoimmune Disease

Dr. Christine Parks, an epidemiologist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, studies environmental risk factors for autoimmune diseases. She discusses how psychosocial stressors, like caregiving, can elevate the risk of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The conversation highlights the importance of life events and trauma in relation to autoimmune diseases. Parks also introduces the Reserve Capacity Model, emphasizing the role of socioeconomic factors in individual stress responses and the need for innovative research methods.