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

Veronica A Wang^#¹, MyDzung T Chu^#¹, Lucy Chie², Symielle A Gaston³, Chandra L Jackson^{3

4}, Nicole Newendorp⁵, Elanah Uretsky⁶, Robin E Dodson⁷, Gary Adamkiewicz¹, Tamarra James-Todd^{8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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.
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.
⁵ Committee on Degrees in Social Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
⁶ Department of Anthropology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA.
⁷ Silent Spring Institute, Newton, MA, 02460, USA.
⁸ Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. tjtodd@hsph.harvard.edu.
⁹ Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. tjtodd@hsph.harvard.edu.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 33235331
PMCID: PMC7954893
DOI: 10.1038/s41370-020-00279-0

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

Veronica A Wang et al. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2021 Mar.

. 2021 Mar;31(2):224-232.

doi: 10.1038/s41370-020-00279-0. Epub 2020 Nov 24.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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.
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.
⁵ Committee on Degrees in Social Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
⁶ Department of Anthropology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA.
⁷ Silent Spring Institute, Newton, MA, 02460, USA.
⁸ Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. tjtodd@hsph.harvard.edu.
⁹ Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. tjtodd@hsph.harvard.edu.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 33235331
PMCID: PMC7954893
DOI: 10.1038/s41370-020-00279-0

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.

Keywords: Asian Americans; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; acculturation; cosmetics; endocrine disruptors; personal care products.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Authors declare no conflict of interests.

Figures

**Fig. 1:**
Black bars denote the probability of using each PCP type in the last 48 hours among high PCP users (left panel) and moderate PCP users (right panel). Abbreviations: P1, crème rinse/conditioner; P2: shampoo; P3: perfume/cologne; P4: bar soap/body wash; P5: liquid hand soap; P6: lotion/moisturizer; P7: colored cosmetics; P8: sunscreen; P9: nail polish

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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

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

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Conflict of interest statement

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