Coffee, stress and cortisol in nursing staff
Anette Harris1, Holger Ursin, Robert Murison
1Unifob health, Christiesgt 13, N-5015 Bergen, Norway.
Psychoneuroendocrinology
|March 14, 2007
Summary
Workplace stress and workload did not correlate with morning cortisol levels in healthcare workers. However, evening cortisol decline was linked to decision authority and coffee intake.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Endocrinology
- Psychology
Background:
- Cognitive activation theory posits that prolonged work demands without recovery can lead to sustained physiological activation and health issues.
- Elevated basal cortisol levels are recognized biomarkers for chronic stress and sustained activation.
- Understanding the relationship between workplace psychosocial factors, cortisol profiles, and health outcomes is crucial for employee well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between job stress, workload (effort/reward, demand/control), and salivary cortisol profiles in healthcare workers.
- To examine the relationship between these work factors and subjective health complaints and health-related quality of life.
- To identify potential predictors of cortisol levels throughout the day.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 44 female healthcare workers who completed questionnaires and provided five salivary cortisol samples over two consecutive workdays.
- Saliva samples were collected at specific time points: wake-up, wake-up +30 min, wake-up +45 min, 15:00 h, and 22:00 h.
- Hierarchical regression analyses were used to assess relationships between psychosocial work factors, confounding variables (tobacco, coffee intake), and cortisol levels.
Main Results:
- No significant relationship was found between psychosocial work factors and morning cortisol levels (wake-up time cortisol or awakening cortisol response).
- Tobacco use was a significant confounding variable in hierarchical regression analyses.
- Cortisol decline during the afternoon and evening values showed significant associations with decision authority, physical functioning, general health, vitality, and coffee intake.
Conclusions:
- Morning cortisol levels in healthcare workers are not significantly associated with job stress or workload.
- Decision authority and coffee intake emerged as significant predictors of evening cortisol levels.
- The findings suggest that while morning stress markers may not be directly influenced, aspects of work control and lifestyle factors like coffee consumption can impact evening stress hormone profiles.
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