Sex-Specific Associations Between Loneliness and Hair Cortisol Among Older African American Adults

    January 2026 in “ Psychoneuroendocrinology ”
    Katherine Knauft, Jacqueline Rodriguez-Stanley, Kristin M. Davis, Lance M. Rappaport, Francesca Luca, Nataria T. Joseph, Christopher G. Engeland, Samuele Zilioli
    TLDR Loneliness raises stress levels in older African American men but not women.
    The study investigated the relationship between loneliness and hair cortisol levels, a marker of chronic stress, among 340 older African American adults. It found that loneliness was associated with higher hair cortisol levels in male participants but not in female participants, indicating a sex-specific association. This suggests that loneliness may contribute to increased stress levels, as measured by hair cortisol, particularly in older African American men. The study highlights the importance of considering sex differences when examining the health impacts of loneliness.
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