Variations in Salivary Stress Biomarkers and Their Relationship with Anxiety, Self-Efficacy and Sleeping Quality in Emergency Health Care Professionals

Daniel Pérez-Valdecantos, Alberto Caballero-García, Teodosia del Castillo-Sanz, Hugo J. Bello, Enrique Roche, Alba Roche and Alfredo Córdova
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Daniel Pérez-Valdecantos: Departamento de Bioquímica, Campus Universitario “Los Pajaritos”, Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, GIR de “Ejercicio Físico y Envejecimiento”, Universidad de Valladolid, 42004 Soria, Spain
Alberto Caballero-García: Departamento de Anatomía y Radiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, GIR de “Ejercicio Físico y Envejecimiento”, Campus Universitario “Los Pajaritos”, Universidad Valladolid, 42004 Soria, Spain
Teodosia del Castillo-Sanz: Gerencia de Emergencias Sanitarias de Castilla y León, UME Soria, Hospital Virgen del Mirón, 42005 Soria, Spain
Hugo J. Bello: Departamento de Matemáticas, Escuela de Ingeniería de la Industria Forestal, Agronómica y de la Bioenergía, GIR de “Ejercicio Físico y Envejecimiento”, Campus Universitario “Los Pajaritos”, Universidad de Valladolid, 42004 Soria, Spain
Enrique Roche: Department of Applied Biology-Nutrition, Institute of Bioengineering, Miguel Hernández University, 03202 Elche, Spain
Alba Roche: Department of Applied Biology-Nutrition, Institute of Bioengineering, Miguel Hernández University, 03202 Elche, Spain
Alfredo Córdova: Departamento de Bioquímica, Campus Universitario “Los Pajaritos”, Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, GIR de “Ejercicio Físico y Envejecimiento”, Universidad de Valladolid, 42004 Soria, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-14

Abstract: Hospital healthcare workers of emergency departments (EDs) face a variety of occupational stressors on a daily basis. We have recently published that emergency professionals display increased salivary levels of ?-amylase and dehydroepiandrosterone during the working day. The pattern of these markers may suggest a counteracting mechanism of dehydroepiandrosterone against the stress reflected by amylase increases. In order to verify this hypothesis, we have analysed different psychological aspects in the same group of healthcare professionals through different tests related to behaviours resulting from stress. These include the state-trait anxiety inventory, the self-efficacy test and the sleeping quality questionnaire. The tests were provided at the beginning of the working day and collected at the end. STAI scores (trait and state) were indicative of no anxiety. Self-efficacy scores were considered optimal, as well as those from the sleeping quality questionnaire. This is supported by the modest correlation between STAI scores and salivary levels of ?-amylase and dehydroepiandrosterone. In conclusion, the emergency professionals of the studied hospitals seem to have adequate work management. Altogether it means that the stress generated during work performance is controlled, allowing a correct adaptation to the demanding situations undergone in emergency departments.

Keywords: amylase; anxiety; DHEA; emergencies; healthcare professional; self-efficacy; sleeping quality; stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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