Table 2.
Cortisol Data and Diurnal Cortisol Slopes, by Race.
| Variables | Black men (N = 59) |
White men (N = 636) |
p | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | M (SD) | % | M (SD) | ||
| Cortisol levels, raw (nanomoles/liter) a | |||||
| Upon waking (T1) | 11.31 (6.41) | 20.05 (40.64) | .100 | ||
| 30 min after waking (T2) | 14.48 (9.33) | 25.67 (38.73) | .027 | ||
| Before lunch (T3) | 6.86 (3.11) | 9.01 (10.96) | .135 | ||
| Bedtime (T4) | 4.84 (3.21) | 7.37 (35.29) | .582 | ||
| Diurnal cortisol slopes | |||||
| Full sample | −.15 (.15) | −.21 (.11) | .004 | ||
| Midlife (34–54 years) | −.16 (.15) (n = 29, 49.2%) |
−.21 (.12) (n = 281, 44.2%) |
.088 | ||
| Later life (55+ years) | −.14 (.15) (n = 30, 50.8%) | −.21 (.11) (n = 355, 55.8%) |
.021 | ||
| Factors that affect cortisol | |||||
| Smoker | 32.2 | 15.4 | .003 | ||
| Atypical sleep schedule | 28.8 | 8.8 | <.001 | ||
| Medications affecting cortisol | 11.9 | 27.9 | .008 | ||
| Protocol nonadherent | 6.8 | 4.9 | .528 | ||
Note. aAveraged over all collection days.