Acute Stress and Anxiety in Medical Residents on the Emergency Department Duty

Joaquín M. González-Cabrera, María Fernández-Prada, Concepción Iribar, Rogelio Molina-Ruano, María Salinero-Bachiller and José M. Peinado
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Joaquín M. González-Cabrera: Faculty of Education, Universidad Internacional de la Rioja, 26006 Logroño, Spain
María Fernández-Prada: Department of Preventive Medicine, Central Hospital of Asturias, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
Concepción Iribar: Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Immunology 3, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
Rogelio Molina-Ruano: Emergency Department, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, 18014 Granada, Spain
María Salinero-Bachiller: Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Immunology 3, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
José M. Peinado: Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Immunology 3, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-9

Abstract: The objectives of this longitudinal study were to compare salivary cortisol release patterns in medical residents and their self-perceived anxiety levels between a regular working day and a day when on call in the emergency department (ED-duty day) and to determine any differences in cortisol release pattern as a function of years of residency or sex. The study included 35 residents (physicians-in-training) of the Granada University Hospital, Granada, Spain. Acute stress was measured on a regular working day and an ED-duty day, evaluating anxiety-state with the Spanish version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Physiological stress assessment was based on salivary cortisol levels. Cortisol release concentrations were higher on an ED-duty day than on a regular working day, with a significantly increased area under the curve (AUC) ( p < 0.006). This difference slightly attenuated with longer residency experience. No gender difference in anxiety levels was observed ( p < 0.001). According to these findings, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and anxiety levels of medical residents are higher on an ED-duty day than on a regular working day.

Keywords: acute stress; cortisol; medical resident; Emergency Department-duty day; anxiety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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