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International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health

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Open Access 01-08-2020 | Burnout Syndrome | Original Article

Prospective associations between burnout symptomatology and hair cortisol

Authors: Johannes Wendsche, Andreas Ihle, Jürgen Wegge, Marlene Sophie Penz, Clemens Kirschbaum, Matthias Kliegel

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 6/2020

Abstract

Objectives

Burnout is a stress-related, psychological syndrome due to high levels of job stressors. It has been found to be related to impairments of well-being, health, and job outcomes. Alterations of glucocorticoid secretion might be a mechanism explaining the linkage between burnout and reduced psychophysical functioning. Regarding hair cortisol as indicator this assumption, so far, has been only examined in cross-sectional studies. Therefore, we aimed to compare cross-sectional and prospective associations between different burnout symptoms and hair cortisol, additionally investigating potential nonlinear associations.

Methods

The prospective study sample comprises 194 employees (95% nurses) from German geriatric care. We assessed burnout symptoms at baseline (t1) and 6 months later (t2) and collected hair samples for cortisol analyses at t2.

Results

We found significant cross-sectional and prospective nonlinear (i.e., exponential) but not linear relationships between an aggregated measure of the burnout subscales emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced efficacy and hair cortisol, even after adjusting for BMI and depressive mood. None of the single subscales of burnout was related to hair cortisol after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions

Our findings further support the assumption that accumulated burnout symptoms and hypercorticolism are positively related.

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Title: Prospective associations between burnout symptomatology and hair cortisol
Authors: Johannes Wendsche
Andreas Ihle
Jürgen Wegge
Marlene Sophie Penz
Clemens Kirschbaum
Matthias Kliegel
Publication date: 01-08-2020
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keyword: Burnout Syndrome
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 6/2020
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01528-3

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Prospective associations between burnout symptomatology and hair cortisol

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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