Stress in the workplace–how it affects employee health and productivity, and how it can be reduced to improve employee well-being –is the focus of the Work, Stress and Health 2006 conference, March 2–4, in Miami.

Sponsored by APA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the National Institute of Justice and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, the three-day international conference features more than 80 sessions dealing with the theme of "Making a difference in the workplace."

Keeping with that theme, sessions will focus on translating research to workplace stress reduction efforts, says Steven L. Sauter, PhD, of NIOSH. Conference co-chair Gwendolyn Puryear Keita, PhD, executive director of APA's Public Interest Directorate, notes that several sessions will address the impact of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina on the nation's workers.

Other session topics include workplace restructuring, work and family balance, workplace violence, the aging work force, disability management and stress prevention programs.

Conference organizers welcome anyone interested in reducing workplace stress, including psychologists and other professionals from a broad range of fields including business, industry, labor, insurance and medicine, says conference coordinator Wesley Baker, of APA's Public Interest Directorate.

A daylong series of continuing-education workshops for practitioners on March 1 precedes the conference. Registration information is available at www.apa.org/pi/work/wsh2006.html.