Prolonged perceived stress and saliva cortisol in a large cohort of Danish public service employees: cross-sectional and longitudinal associations

Sigurd Mikkelsen; Julie Lyng Forman; Samuel Fink; Marianne Agergaard Vammen; Jane Frølund Thomsen; Matias Brødsgaard Grynderup; Åse Marie Hansen; Linda Kaerlev; Henrik Albert Kolstad; Reiner Rugulies; Jens Peter Bonde

doi:10.1007/s00420-017-1241-z

Prolonged perceived stress and saliva cortisol in a large cohort of Danish public service employees: cross-sectional and longitudinal associations

Sigurd Mikkelsen, Julie Lyng Forman, Samuel Fink, Marianne Agergaard Vammen, Jane Frølund Thomsen, Matias Brødsgaard Grynderup, Åse Marie Hansen, Linda Kaerlev, Henrik Albert Kolstad, Reiner Rugulies, Jens Peter Bonde

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Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Journal	International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
Volume	90
Issue number	8
Pages (from-to)	835–848
Number of pages	14
ISSN	0340-0131
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-017-1241-z
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2017

Keywords

Journal Article

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Prolonged perceived stress and saliva cortisol in a large cohort of Danish public service employees: cross-sectional and longitudinal associationsFinal published version, 1.08 MBLicence: CC BY

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Mikkelsen, S., Forman, J. L., Fink, S., Vammen, M. A., Thomsen, J. F., Grynderup, M. B., Hansen, Å. M., Kaerlev, L., Kolstad, H. A., Rugulies, R., & Bonde, J. P. (2017). Prolonged perceived stress and saliva cortisol in a large cohort of Danish public service employees: cross-sectional and longitudinal associations. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 90(8), 835–848. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-017-1241-z

Prolonged perceived stress and saliva cortisol in a large cohort of Danish public service employees : cross-sectional and longitudinal associations. / Mikkelsen, Sigurd; Forman, Julie Lyng; Fink, Samuel et al.

In: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, Vol. 90, No. 8, 01.11.2017, p. 835–848.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Mikkelsen, S, Forman, JL, Fink, S, Vammen, MA, Thomsen, JF, Grynderup, MB, Hansen, ÅM, Kaerlev, L, Kolstad, HA, Rugulies, R & Bonde, JP 2017, 'Prolonged perceived stress and saliva cortisol in a large cohort of Danish public service employees: cross-sectional and longitudinal associations', International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, vol. 90, no. 8, pp. 835–848. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-017-1241-z

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AU - Vammen, Marianne Agergaard

AU - Thomsen, Jane Frølund

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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.

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Prolonged perceived stress and saliva cortisol in a large cohort of Danish public service employees: cross-sectional and longitudinal associations

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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