title: Job stress and its relationship with the level of secretory IgA in saliva: a comparison between nurses working in emergency wards and hospital clerks.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The current study was carried out to evaluate and compare the job stress of female nurses working in emergency wards and female clerks and to analyze the possible relationship between the stress level and level of saliva secretory IgA (SIgA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty four female nurses in emergency wards and female clerks of hospitals were selected (42 in each group). Their stress level was measured using the Persian short version of generic job stress questionnaire of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Moreover, the SIgA level was determined using the ELISA method. SPSS software (version 17), independent t-test, variance analysis and partial correlation were used for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean score of job stress was 97.30 and 91.85 in nurses and clerks, respectively (p = 0.016). The levels of saliva SIgA in nurses and clerks were 338.04 +/- 380.93 and 706 +/- 354.70, respectively (p < 0.001). The results showed a negative correlation between the levels of saliva SIgA and job stress (p = 0.02, r = -0.203).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses have a higher stress level compared to clerks; while the saliva SIgA level of nurses was much lower than that of the clerks. Considering the negative correlation between the saliva SIgA level and job stress, further study to evaluate the potential uses of saliva SIgA as a biomarker can be performed.
authors: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan. Iran.
authors: Parastoo
authors: P
authors: Golshiri
authors: Siyamak
authors: S
authors: Pourabdian
authors: Arash
authors: A
authors: Najimi
authors: Hamideh Mosa
authors: HM
authors: Zadeh
authors: Javad
authors: J
authors: Hasheminia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D016272:Occupational Health; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A