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Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine 1/2011

01-02-2011 | Original Article

Education and Levels of Salivary Cortisol Over the Day in US Adults

Authors: Jennifer B. Dowd, Ph.D., Nalini Ranjit, Ph.D., D. Phuong Do, Ph.D., Elizabeth A. Young, Ph.D., James S. House, Ph.D., George A. Kaplan, Ph.D.

Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Background

Dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis is hypothesized to be an important pathway linking socioeconomic position and chronic disease.

Purpose

This paper tests the association between education and the diurnal rhythm of salivary cortisol.

Methods

Up to eight measures of cortisol (mean of 5.38 per respondent) over 2 days were obtained from 311 respondents, aged 18–70, drawn from the 2001–2002 Chicago Community Adult Health Study. Multi-level models with linear splines were used to estimate waking level, rates of cortisol decline, and area-under-the-curve over the day, by categories of education.

Results

Lower education (0–11 years) was associated with lower waking levels of cortisol, but not the rate of decline of cortisol, resulting in a higher area-under-the-curve for more educated respondents throughout the day.

Conclusions

This study found evidence of lower cortisol exposure among individuals with less education and thus does not support the hypothesis that less education is associated with chronic over-exposure to cortisol.
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Metadata
Title
Education and Levels of Salivary Cortisol Over the Day in US Adults
Authors
Jennifer B. Dowd, Ph.D.
Nalini Ranjit, Ph.D.
D. Phuong Do, Ph.D.
Elizabeth A. Young, Ph.D.
James S. House, Ph.D.
George A. Kaplan, Ph.D.
Publication date
01-02-2011
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Annals of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 1/2011
Print ISSN: 0883-6612
Electronic ISSN: 1532-4796
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9224-2

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