Abstract

VEGA-MICHEL, Claudia  and  CAMACHO GUTIERREZ, Everardo. Variables sociodemográficas, hábitos de vida y niveles de Cortisol en adultos de México. Pensam. psicol. [online]. 2012, vol.10, n.2, pp.9-21. ISSN 1657-8961.

Objective. The objective of this research was to determine whether demographic and lifestyle variables correlated with levels of salivary cortisol in a sample of adults in Mexico, and to obtain the average of the circadian cycle of salivary cortisol as a reference for future research. Method. The overall average and the circadian cycle of cortisol were analyzed in 3,414 salivary samples taken in 12 studies in Mexico. Also examined were differences in the aforementioned hormone, based on variables related to age, gender and the consumption or no consumption of cigarettes. Results. A decrease was observed in the concentration of cortisol as the participants advanced in age; also identified was a normal circadian pattern, but with higher levels in the sample studied. Finally, no significant differences were found between the concentrations of cortisol between women and men, or between smokers and non-smokers. Conclusión. Under discussion are the conceptual, methodological implications and practices resulting from the findings, for the development of future research as well as for their study in relation to the phenomena of health and disease.

Keywords : Cortisol; age; gender; life style; health; disease.

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