Journal article
Fingernail cortisol as a marker of chronic stress exposure in Indigenous and non-Indigenous young adults
Stress, Vol.23(3), pp.298-307
2020
PMID: 31651211
Abstract
Cumulative exposure to stress over a long period can negatively impact an individual’s health. Significant advancements in biomarkers of chronic stress have been made, with the use of fingernails recently explored. Cross sectional data from the Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort (Indigenous) and Top End Cohort (non-Indigenous) were used to investigate the associations (sociodemographic and emotional) of fingernail cortisol in Indigenous and non-Indigenous young adults. Details on sociodemographic (age, gender, and Indigenous identification), smoking and alcohol use, emotional wellbeing, and emotional stress (perceived stress and stressful events), and fingernail samples were obtained face-to-face. Fingernail samples were analyzed for 179 Indigenous and 66 non-Indigenous participants (21–28 years). Indigenous participants were subjected to higher rates of stressful events compared to non-Indigenous (Median 6.0; interquartile range (IQR) 4, 9 vs. 1.0; IQR 0, 2; p < .001). Median cortisol levels were similar between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants (4.36 pg/mg; IQR 2.2, 10.0 vs. 3.87 pg/mg: IQR 2.0, 9.7; p = .68). However, Indigenous participants had a higher cortisol level on adjustment for emotional distress and exposure to stressful events (Geometric Mean 1.82; 95CI: 1.07–3.09), with a negative association with increasing number of stressful events (Geometric Mean 0.94; 95CI 0.90, 0.99). Collection of fingernails was an easily conducted, well-tolerated method to measure stress markers in this multicultural cohort. Indigenous young adults experienced a high number of stressful events which was associated with a lowering of fingernail cortisol levels.
Details
- Title
- Fingernail cortisol as a marker of chronic stress exposure in Indigenous and non-Indigenous young adults
- Authors
- Belinda Davison (Corresponding Author) - Charles Darwin UniversityGurmeet R Singh - Charles Darwin UniversityVictor Oguoma - Charles Darwin UniversityJames McFarlane - University of New England
- Publication details
- Stress, Vol.23(3), pp.298-307
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Date published
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1080/10253890.2019.1683159
- ISSN
- 1607-8888
- PMID
- 31651211
- Data Availability
- The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
- Grant note
- This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (Project Grant APP1046391).
- Organisation Unit
- Thompson Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991121850702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Domestic collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Behavioral Sciences
- Endocrinology & Metabolism
- Neurosciences
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