Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) provides a retrospective measure of long-term (i.e. over a period of months)
cortisol secretion and has been shown to be elevated in relation to chronic stress conditions. However associations
in healthy participants with subjective ill-being are less clear and associations with well-being have not
been explored. The current study examined HCC in relation to independent comprehensive measures of illbeing
(stress, depression, anxiety) and well-being (subjective happiness, life satisfaction, psychological wellbeing)
in healthy young and old females (mean ± SD: 19.5 ± 2.2 years and 78.6 ± 6.7 years respectively, total
N = 115). The data supported evidence of increased total cortisol secretion with increased age. No association
between ill-being and HCC was found in either the young or older group of participants. A positive association
between HCC and well-being was found in the older participant group which was independent of ill-being and
potential confounds. These findings do not support associations between HCC and ill-being in healthy young
or old females. However the results suggest that HCC is able to distinguish levels of well-being in healthy older
females
