The role of saliva cortisol measurements in health and disease : A matter of theory and methodology

• Over the last decade, the technique of using ambulatory salivary sampling has become increasingly popular in field research and clinical studies. The non-invasive method is easy to administer and analyze and allows implmentation in large scale study designs. However, this large interest in the use of salivary cortisol measurement is paralleled with frustrations on opposing results. This presentation is based on a critical evaluation of the existing literature on salivary cortisol, aiming to evaluate the utility of salivary cortisol as a biomarker in various settings  and how we can understand cortisol reactivity using evidence of experiences from different study designs. The work is compiled by the Scandinavian Stress and Cortisol Network, a network financed by the Swedish Research Council, and one main question asked was: is it possible that different results of studies involving cortisol assessments are functions of differences in the theoretical assumptions made and methods used. In particular, the symposium will focus on how the many different ways of evaluating levels and dynamics of salivary cortisol (i. e. with regard to time points of assessment and different algorithms based on multiple time points) may have an impact on the interpretation of cortisol measurements in various contexts. Salivary cortisol has been studied in relation to the following topics: demographic variables, psychosocial work environment, psychosocial resources (e.g. mastery) and outcomes (e.g. burnout), sleep quality, biological markers (markers of cardivascular risk, inflammation and metabolism) and somatic outcome.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

salivary cortisol

systematic review

Psychology

Psykologi

Public health medicine research areas

Folkhälsomedicinska forskningsområden

medicinsk beteendevetenskap

medicinsk beteendevetenskap

psykologi

Psychology

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)