title: The relationships of working conditions, recent stressors and childhood trauma with salivary cortisol levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An etiological model has been suggested where stress leads to high cortisol levels and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation, resulting in somatic diseases and psychopathology. To evaluate this model we examined the association of different stressors (working conditions, recent life events and childhood trauma) with various cortisol indicators in a large cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data are from 1995 participants of the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Most of the selected participants had a current or remitted anxiety and/or depressive disorder. Working conditions were assessed with self-report questionnaires, life-events and childhood trauma were assessed with interview questionnaires. Cortisol levels were measured in seven saliva samples, determining the 1-h cortisol awakening response (CAR), evening cortisol levels and cortisol suppression after a 0.5mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regression analyses--adjusted for covariates--showed two significant associations: low social support at work and high job strain were associated with more cortisol suppression after the DST. No other associations were found with any of the cortisol variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Working conditions, recent stressors and childhood trauma were not convincingly associated with cortisol levels.
authors: Research Department of Arkin Mental Health Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. michiel.holleman@arkin.nl
authors: Michiel
authors: M
authors: Holleman
authors: Sophie A
authors: SA
authors: Vreeburg
authors: Jack J M
authors: JJ
authors: Dekker
authors: Brenda W J H
authors: BW
authors: Penninx
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D019540:Area Under Curve; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone