TY - JOUR
T1 - Prolonged perceived stress and saliva cortisol in a large cohort of Danish public service employees
T2 - cross-sectional and longitudinal associations
AU - Mikkelsen, Sigurd
AU - Forman, Julie Lyng
AU - Fink, Samuel
AU - Vammen, Marianne Agergaard
AU - Thomsen, Jane Frølund
AU - Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard
AU - Hansen, Åse Marie
AU - Kaerlev, Linda
AU - Kolstad, Henrik Albert
AU - Rugulies, Reiner
AU - Bonde, Jens Peter
PY - 2017/11/1
Y1 - 2017/11/1
N2 - PURPOSE: It is well known that acute stress can lead to a transient increase in cortisol secretion, but the effects of prolonged stress on cortisol secretion are uncertain. This study examines the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between prolonged perceived stress and salivary cortisol.METHODS: In 2007, 4467 Danish public service employees participated in a study of stress and mental health, and 3217 participated in a follow-up in 2009. Perceived stress during the past 4 weeks was assessed by Cohen's four item perceived stress scale. Participants were asked to collect saliva 30 min after awakening and at approximately 20:00 in the evening. The cortisol dependence on perceived stress was examined in regression analyses adjusted for effects of potential confounders. We adjusted for a large variation in saliva sampling times by modelling the time trajectory of cortisol concentrations in the morning and in the evening and examined if they were influenced by perceived stress.RESULTS: Perceived stress had no statistically significant effects on the level or time trajectory of morning or evening cortisol, neither cross-sectionally nor longitudinally. The 1 month prevalence of frequently perceived stress was low, approximately 2.5%.CONCLUSION: Our results did not support the hypothesis that prolonged perceived stress is associated with the level or time trajectory of morning or evening salivary cortisol.
AB - PURPOSE: It is well known that acute stress can lead to a transient increase in cortisol secretion, but the effects of prolonged stress on cortisol secretion are uncertain. This study examines the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between prolonged perceived stress and salivary cortisol.METHODS: In 2007, 4467 Danish public service employees participated in a study of stress and mental health, and 3217 participated in a follow-up in 2009. Perceived stress during the past 4 weeks was assessed by Cohen's four item perceived stress scale. Participants were asked to collect saliva 30 min after awakening and at approximately 20:00 in the evening. The cortisol dependence on perceived stress was examined in regression analyses adjusted for effects of potential confounders. We adjusted for a large variation in saliva sampling times by modelling the time trajectory of cortisol concentrations in the morning and in the evening and examined if they were influenced by perceived stress.RESULTS: Perceived stress had no statistically significant effects on the level or time trajectory of morning or evening cortisol, neither cross-sectionally nor longitudinally. The 1 month prevalence of frequently perceived stress was low, approximately 2.5%.CONCLUSION: Our results did not support the hypothesis that prolonged perceived stress is associated with the level or time trajectory of morning or evening salivary cortisol.
KW - Journal Article
U2 - 10.1007/s00420-017-1241-z
DO - 10.1007/s00420-017-1241-z
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 28698925
SN - 0340-0131
VL - 90
SP - 835
EP - 848
JO - International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
JF - International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
IS - 8
ER -
