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Acculturation and endocrine disrupting chemical-associated personal care product use among US-based foreign-born Chinese women of reproductive age

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 31, pages 224–232 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Personal care products (PCPs) are an important source of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) linked to adverse reproductive health outcomes.

Objective

We evaluated EDC-associated PCP use and acculturation among Asian women.

Methods

Our study included 227 foreign-born Chinese women ages 18–45 seeking obstetrics-gynecology care at community health centers (Boston, MA). Acculturation was measured by English-language use, length of US residence, and age at US entry. Self-reported use of PCPs (crème rinse/conditioner, shampoo, perfume/cologne, bar soap/body wash, liquid hand soap, moisturizer/lotion, colored cosmetics, sunscreen, and nail polish) in the last 48 h was collected. Latent class analysis was used to identify usage patterns. We also conducted multivariable logistic to determine the cross-sectional associations of acculturation measures and the use of individual PCP types.

Results

Those who used more PCP types, overall and by each type, tended to be more acculturated. Women who could speak English had 2.77 (95% CI: 1.10–7.76) times the odds of being high PCP users compared to their non-English speaking counterparts. English-language use was associated with higher odds of using perfume/cologne and nail polish.

Significance

Our findings give insight about EDC-associated PCP use based on acculturation status, which can contribute to changes in immigrant health and health disparities.

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Fig. 1: Black bars denote the probability of using each PCP type in the last 48 h among high PCP users (left panel) and moderate PCP users (right panel).

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Acknowledgements

We offer our special thanks to the participants and leadership of South Cove Community Health Center in Chinatown, MA and Quincy, MA.

Funding

This study was supported by grant NIH/NIEHS T32ES007069, P30ES000002, R01ES026166. This work was funded, in part, by the Intramural Program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS, Z1AES103325–01).

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Veronica A. Wang, MyDzung T. Chu

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Veronica A. Wang, MyDzung T. Chu, Gary Adamkiewicz & Tamarra James-Todd

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Lucy Chie

  3. Department of Health and Human Services, Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA

    Symielle A. Gaston & Chandra L. Jackson

  4. Department of Health and Human Services, Intramural Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Chandra L. Jackson

  5. Committee on Degrees in Social Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

    Nicole Newendorp

  6. Department of Anthropology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA

    Elanah Uretsky

  7. Silent Spring Institute, Newton, MA, 02460, USA

    Robin E. Dodson

  8. Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Tamarra James-Todd

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Wang, V.A., Chu, M.T., Chie, L. et al. Acculturation and endocrine disrupting chemical-associated personal care product use among US-based foreign-born Chinese women of reproductive age. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 31, 224–232 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-020-00279-0

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