{Reference Type}: Comparative Study
{Title}: Salivary cortisol, perceived stress and coping strategies: A comparative study of working and nonworking women.
{Author}: Bani-Issa W;Radwan H;Al Shujairi A;Hijazi H;Al Abdi RM;Al Awar S;Saqan R;Alameddine M;Ibrahim A;Rahman HA;Naing L;
{Journal}: J Nurs Manag
{Volume}: 30
{Issue}: 7
{Year}: Oct 2022
{Factor}: 4.68
{DOI}: 10.1111/jonm.13697
{Abstract}: <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>This study investigated stress levels and coping strategies among working and nonworking women in the United Arab Emirates.<BR><B>BACKGROUND: </B>Stress levels in working and nonworking women have previously been studied, but few studies used cortisol to measure stress or examined how coping strategies affect stress levels.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>We employed a cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of women aged 20-65 years. Information on women's sociodemographic characteristics, perceived stress (using the Perceived Stress Scale) and coping strategies (using the Brief-COPE) was collected. Participants' morning (07:00-08:00) and evening (19:00-20:00) cortisol levels were measured using unstimulated saliva samples.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>In total, 417 working and 403 nonworking women participated in this study. More nonworking women reported high stress levels than working women (14.1% vs. 4.1%, p = .001). Working women reported more use of informational support and venting to cope with stress compared with nonworking women (94.0% vs. 88.1%, p = .001). More nonworking women had impaired morning (<0.094 mg/dl) and evening (>0.359 mg/dl) cortisol compared with working women (58.1% vs. 28.5% and 41.7% vs. 18.0%, respectively). Compared with working women, nonworking women had 3.25 (95%CI: 2.38, 4.47) and 3.78 (95%CI: 2.65, 5.43) times the odds of impaired morning and evening cortisol, respectively.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Nonworking women exhibited higher levels of stress than working women. There is an urgent need to support nonworking women to manage stress through appropriate awareness campaigns and public health policies.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Policymakers and community leaders should consider the mental health of nonworking women as a priority in planning public health policies and programmes. Nurse managers must have a voice in reforming public health policy to support early assessment and management of stress among nonworking women.