Stress, Cortisol, and Lipid Profiles Among Rwandan Undergraduate Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Background Stress negatively affects mental and physical health globally, with university students in sub-Saharan Africa facing unique challenges that exacerbate psychological distress and academic difficulties. Chronic stress contributes to cardiovascular diseases, yet its physiological effects—such as dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and altered lipid metabolism—remain understudied in this population. There is also a lack of research on the relationship between stress and its physiological impacts among university students in Rwanda. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum cortisol levels, lipid profiles, and stress among undergraduate students at the University of Rwanda’s Huye Campus. Methods A cross-sectional study recruited 247 undergraduate students using stratified sampling. Participants completed a researcher-administered Perceived Stress Scale questionnaire and provided sociodemographic data. Fasting blood samples were collected for cortisol and lipid profile analysis, and data was analyzed using Stata version 15. Results The study included 247 students aged 19–25, with 56.7% males. Stress levels were categorized as low (44.9%), moderate (53.9%), and high (1.2%). Morning cortisol levels (median 13.7µg/dL, IQR 10.8–17.2) did not significantly differ by gender (p > 0.050). However, moderate stress was linked to higher morning cortisol (p < 0.001), total cholesterol (TC), and triglycerides (p = 0.004), with TC also…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Cortisol, obesity and the metabolic syndrome: A cross-sectional study of obese subjects and review of the literature
- Relationships between lead biomarkers and diurnal salivary cortisol indices in pregnant women from Mexico City: a cross-sectional study
- Pubertal Recalibration of Cortisol Reactivity Following Early Life Stress: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
- High-end normal adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels are associated with specific cardiovascular risk factors in pediatric obesity: a cross-sectional study
- Effects of remote virtual work environment during COVID-19 pandemic on technostress among Menoufia University Staff, Egypt: a cross-sectional study
- Low serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, and body mass are risk factors for frailty in elderly people with diabetes–a cross-sectional study
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.