Beauty Beware: Associations between Perceptions of Harm and Safer Hair-Product-Purchasing Behaviors in a Cross-Sectional Study of Adults Affiliated with a University in the Northeast

Cathryn E. Payne, Amber Rockson, Adiba Ashrafi, Jasmine A. McDonald, Traci N. Bethea, Emily S. Barrett and Adana A. M. Llanos ()
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Cathryn E. Payne: Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
Amber Rockson: Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
Adiba Ashrafi: Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
Jasmine A. McDonald: Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
Traci N. Bethea: Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
Emily S. Barrett: Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
Adana A. M. Llanos: Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 23, 1-17

Abstract: (1) Background: Widespread personal care product (PCP) use can expose individuals to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) associated with adverse health outcomes. This study investigated the association between harm perceptions and hair-product-purchasing behaviors in adults enrolled in a cross-sectional study. (2) Methods: Respondents rated their agreement with five PCP-related harm statements using a five-point Likert scale. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between harm perceptions with hair-product-purchasing behaviors and hair product use (i.e., number of products used). (3) Results: Among 567 respondents (non-Hispanic White, 54.9%; non-Hispanic Black, 9.5%; Hispanic/Latinx, 10.1%; Asian American/Pacific Islander, 20.1%; and multiracial/other, 5.5%), stronger harm perceptions around PCP use were associated with potentially “safer” hair-product-purchasing behaviors. Respondents who strongly agreed that consumers should be concerned about the health effects of PCPs had more than fourfold increased odds of always/usually using healthy product apps (OR 4.10, 95% CI: 2.04–8.26); reading ingredient labels (OR 4.53, 95% CI: 2.99–6.87); and looking for natural, non-toxic, or eco-friendly product labels (OR 4.53, 95% CI: 2.99–6.88) when buying hair products. (4) Conclusions: Promoting environmental health literacy and raising awareness of potential PCP use-related harms might encourage healthier hair product use behaviors.

Keywords: personal care products; hair products; perceptions of harm; adults; endocrine-disrupting chemicals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:23:p:7129-:d:1292113

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