The Police Stress and Health Program

The Saliva Kit

Police participants in the Police Stress & Health Program are asked to complete a Saliva Kit at both the beginning and the end of the study. Saliva collections allow us to measure stress hormone.

The saliva kits are take-home and do-it -yourself. The kits include tubes that contain cotton swabs. At specific times indicated in the instructions, the participant is asked chew on a swab for two minutes, and then return the swab to the tube. The cotton swabs absorb and keep the saliva for us to analyze. When the entire kit is complete, the participant can return the kit to the local Police Stress & Health Program office in-person or by mail.

When completing a saliva kit, it is important that participants remember to follow the time-specific instructions very carefully. The stress hormone must be measured at specific times, and if the times are off, we may ask for a repeat collection. Because of the sensitive nature of saliva, we also ask that participants return their completed kits to us within two weeks so that we may analyze it before it expires.

Participants who have questions about the saliva kits are highly encouraged to contact us as soon as possible for assistance.

Study Timeline | Clinical Interviews | Psychophysiology | Questionnaires
Saliva Kit | Actigraph | PDA (Palm)