Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Medical Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The study measured hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) in 67 female nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, and followed up with 57 of them in autumn 2020. The results showed higher HCCs in hair grown during the pandemic compared to older hair, indicating increased stress levels. Nurses who reported a high risk of infection had higher HCCs than those reporting low risk. In the follow-up, hair samples corresponding to the worsening of the pandemic had higher HCCs than samples from the summer release period. However, when comparing three groups (low risk, high risk, and daily work with COVID-19 patients), the differences were not significant. The data supports the conclusion that HCCs in nurses increased during the worsening of the pandemic.