Chronic stressors increased susceptibility to colds
Question What is the relation between acute and chronic life stressors and susceptibility to the common cold?
Design
Cohort study in which participants were given a low infectious dose of rhinovirus (type RV39 or Hanks) and quarantined for 1 day before and 5 days after exposure.
Setting
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Participants
276 people (55% women, 81% white) aged 18–55 years who responded to a newspaper advertisement and were free of disease (based on examination and laboratory testing). Exclusion criteria were pregnancy, currently lactating, or on regular medication.
Assessment of risk factors
Acute and chronic life stressors based on scores from the Bedford College Life Events and Difficulties Schedule. Acute events lasted <1 month and were a marked or moderate long term threat (eg, getting reprimanded at work). Chronic stressors lasted ≥1 month, did not end >6 months before assessment, and were a high moderate or marked long term threat (eg, ongoing unemployment); …
