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Diurnal profiles of salivary cortisol on workdays among construction workers versus white-collar workers

Hansen, Ase Marie ; Persson, Roger LU orcid ; Garde, Anne Helene ; Karlson, Björn LU and Örbaek, Palle LU (2006) In Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health p.22-26
Abstract
Objectives The aim of the present study was to test whether construction workers, who are known to have a relatively higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), had higher concentrations of cortisol in saliva and a lower relative variability when compared with white-collar workers. Methods Data from two groups of male construction workers with physically demanding job assignments, with either regular or extended workhours (N=40) and a group of white-collar workers recruited from both the private and the public sector (N=118) were examined. All of the workers had participated in previous research projects with similar methodology. Saliva was sampled during ordinary workdays at awakening, between 30 and 45 minutes after awakening, and... (More)
Objectives The aim of the present study was to test whether construction workers, who are known to have a relatively higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), had higher concentrations of cortisol in saliva and a lower relative variability when compared with white-collar workers. Methods Data from two groups of male construction workers with physically demanding job assignments, with either regular or extended workhours (N=40) and a group of white-collar workers recruited from both the private and the public sector (N=118) were examined. All of the workers had participated in previous research projects with similar methodology. Saliva was sampled during ordinary workdays at awakening, between 30 and 45 minutes after awakening, and approximately 14 hours after awakening. Results Compared with the white-collar workers, the construction workers had higher mean concentrations of cortisol in saliva, 36% and 14% for construction workers with regular and extended workhours, respectively. The observed differences weakened when the exact sampling time (time of day) was taken into consideration in the statistical modeling. Compared with the white-collar workers, the construction workers had a lower relative variability in salivary cortisol as measured by the coefficient of variation (CV 76% versus 99%). A detailed analysis revealed that the construction workers with regular workhours had the highest concentration of cortisol in saliva but the lowest relative variability when compared with the construction workers with extended workhours (CV 72% versus 82%). Conclusions The results suggest that physically demanding construction work is associated with a less variable and increased cortisol excretion when compared with white-collar work. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cardiovascular disease, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, workhour, radioimmunoassay
in
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health
pages
22 - 26
publisher
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
external identifiers
  • wos:000242024000004
  • scopus:33751067419
ISSN
0355-3140
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
abf241ef-b5bf-4951-84b0-e0d1b62f78c3 (old id 376799)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:34:00
date last changed
2022-03-29 02:41:03
@article{abf241ef-b5bf-4951-84b0-e0d1b62f78c3,
  abstract     = {{Objectives The aim of the present study was to test whether construction workers, who are known to have a relatively higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), had higher concentrations of cortisol in saliva and a lower relative variability when compared with white-collar workers. Methods Data from two groups of male construction workers with physically demanding job assignments, with either regular or extended workhours (N=40) and a group of white-collar workers recruited from both the private and the public sector (N=118) were examined. All of the workers had participated in previous research projects with similar methodology. Saliva was sampled during ordinary workdays at awakening, between 30 and 45 minutes after awakening, and approximately 14 hours after awakening. Results Compared with the white-collar workers, the construction workers had higher mean concentrations of cortisol in saliva, 36% and 14% for construction workers with regular and extended workhours, respectively. The observed differences weakened when the exact sampling time (time of day) was taken into consideration in the statistical modeling. Compared with the white-collar workers, the construction workers had a lower relative variability in salivary cortisol as measured by the coefficient of variation (CV 76% versus 99%). A detailed analysis revealed that the construction workers with regular workhours had the highest concentration of cortisol in saliva but the lowest relative variability when compared with the construction workers with extended workhours (CV 72% versus 82%). Conclusions The results suggest that physically demanding construction work is associated with a less variable and increased cortisol excretion when compared with white-collar work.}},
  author       = {{Hansen, Ase Marie and Persson, Roger and Garde, Anne Helene and Karlson, Björn and Örbaek, Palle}},
  issn         = {{0355-3140}},
  keywords     = {{cardiovascular disease; hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis; workhour; radioimmunoassay}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{22--26}},
  publisher    = {{Finnish Institute of Occupational Health}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health}},
  title        = {{Diurnal profiles of salivary cortisol on workdays among construction workers versus white-collar workers}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}