Women's work stress and cortisol levels: a longitudinal study of the association between the psychosocial work environment and serum cortisol.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there is an association between serum cortisol and work-related stress, as defined by the demand-control model in a longitudinal design. METHODS One hundred ten women aged 47-53 years completed a health questionnaire, including the Swedish version of the Job Content Scale, and participated in a psychological interview at baseline and in a follow-up session 2 years later. Morning blood samples were drawn for analyses of cortisol. RESULTS Multiple stepwise regression analyses and logistic regression analyses showed that work demands and lack of social support were significantly associated with cortisol. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study showed that negative work characteristics in terms of high demands and low social support contributed significantly to the biological stress levels in middle-aged women. Participation in the study may have served as an intervention, increasing the women's awareness and thus improving their health profiles on follow-up.