Cortisol awakening response over the course of humanitarian aid deployment: a prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT: Background: Internationally deployed humanitarian aid (HA) workers are routinely confronted with potentially traumatic stressors. However, it remains unknown whether HA deployment and related traumatic stress are associated with long-term changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. Therefore, we investigated whether cortisol awakening response (CAR) decreased upon deployment and whether this was moderated by previous and recent trauma exposure and parallel changes in symptom severity and perceived social support. Methods: In this prospective study, n = 86 HA workers (68% females) completed questionnaires regarding trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depressive symptoms and perceived social support, as well as salivary c

SUBMITTER: Qing Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7875048 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature