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Relationship between levels of salivary cortisol with depression and suicidal ideation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

P. De Usabel Guzmán
Affiliation:
Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
M.J. Mota Rodríguez
Affiliation:
Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
A. Pampin Alfonso
Affiliation:
Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
J.B. Brenlla Gonzalez
Affiliation:
Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
M.J. Núñez
Affiliation:
Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
M.D.C. del Río Nieto
Affiliation:
Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Abstract

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Introduction

Suicide is a major public health problem in most of the countries because it has a high prevalence in young people. It has been studied that high levels of cortisol are associated with depression and increase of the suicidal risk.

Objective

To analyze the relationship between cortisol levels in a population of university students and the questionnaire results for the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Method

The sample was composed by 106 students of the Nursing School of Santiago de Compostela University. The 88.7% of the sample are women with a mean age of 21.50 + /−2.52, the 99% are unmarried. The protocol consisted in 3 sections: demographic variables, BDI questionnaire with spanish scale and determination of salivary cortisol levels. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS 15.

Results

The are higher levels of salivary cortisol in students with a greater or equal score to 13 on the BDI with statistically significances differences (p = .000). Students with suicidal ideation (item 9 of the BDI) have highest rates of cortisol, with statistically significant differences (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

This study supports other researchs about the association between biological neuroendocrine markers and affective disorders. Explaining suicidal behavior could help us to prevent it by using early intervention strategies for vulnerable populations. They could also identify markers to establish the risk of suicide.

Type
P03-461
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2011
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