Stress, Cortisol, and Lipid Profiles Among Rwandan Undergraduate Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Physiological impacts of stress
• Student health and well-being
• Cardiovascular disease risk factors

Background:

• Global stress impacts mental and physical health, particularly in sub-Saharan African university students.
• Chronic stress is linked to cardiovascular diseases, but its effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and lipid metabolism are understudied in this population.
• Research on stress and its physiological effects among Rwandan university students is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between serum cortisol levels, lipid profiles, and stress.
• To examine physiological markers of stress in undergraduate students at the University of Rwanda's Huye Campus.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 247 undergraduate students.
• Stratified sampling was used for recruitment.
• Data collection included the Perceived Stress Scale questionnaire, sociodemographic information, and fasting blood samples for cortisol and lipid profile analysis.

Main Results:

• Moderate stress was associated with higher morning cortisol levels (p < 0.001).
• Moderate stress correlated with elevated total cholesterol and triglycerides (p = 0.004).
• Total cholesterol levels varied significantly across different stress categories (p = 0.012).

Conclusions:

• Significant associations exist between stress levels, serum cortisol, and lipid profiles (total cholesterol, triglycerides).
• These findings underscore the importance of stress management interventions for Rwandan university students.
• Addressing stress is crucial for mitigating long-term health risks, including cardiovascular disease.