Intimate partner violence and hair cortisol concentration: A biomarker for HPA axis function

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with various health issues, which may be explained by hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. There is a lack of research examining hair cortisol concentrations as a biomarker of HPA function alterations in the context of IPV with consideration to women’s resilience. The study assessed whether IPV severity and resilience are associated with hair cortisol concentrations among Saudi women. This cross-sectional explanatory design used a convenience sample of 156 Saudi women from health care settings. A structured interview that included self-reported responses was performed, and hair samples were collected. The samples were analyzed using a salivary ELISA kit. The result showed a significant difference in hair cortisol concentration between women who have experienced IPV and women who have not experienced IPV. As well, controlling for depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder, IPV severity (β = −.281, 95 % CI = −.046 to −.003) and resilience (β = −.225, 95 % CI = −.038 to −.005) were significant predictors of lower hair cortisol concentrations. The effect of IPV severity on cortisol levels as a biomarker of HPA axis function could explain the poor health conditions among IPV survivors. This study highlights that IPV victimization leads to physiological changes and that hair cortisol is an indicator of women’s health status.