Examining the Role of Self-Reported Product Selection Strategies in Shifting Chemical Exposures Among Black Women and Latinas: Lessons from the Taking Stock Study

Background: Personal care products (PCPs) are a significant source of environmental chemical exposures among women of color. Prior studies suggest that individuals may reduce their exposures by avoiding certain ingredients while shopping; however, the efficacy of this strategy has not been evaluated in Black and Hispanic/Latina women.

Methods: Through a community-academic partnership, 70 Black and Hispanic/Latina women living in South Los Angeles (1) reported product selection strategies, (2) documented their product use for 1 week using a smartphone app, and (3) provided urine samples that were analyzed for 28 chemicals commonly found in PCPs. We investigated associations between product selection strategies (e.g., avoiding products with fragrances) and urinary chemical concentrations.

Results: We detected phthalate metabolites, benzophenone-3, parabens, and chlorinated phenols in nearly all participants. Black women (100%) were more likely than Hispanic/Latina women (66%) to report selecting products based on ingredients. Fragrance was reported as the most avoided ingredient among all women followed by parabens among Black women and bisphenol A among Hispanic/Latina women. Avoiding chemicals while shopping was associated with lower urinary concentrations of certain chemicals. For example, Black women who reported avoiding fragranced products had significantly lower median concentrations of monoethyl phthalate, a metabolite of fragrance ingredient diethyl phthalate, than women who did not report avoiding fragranced products (avoider = 95.0 ng/mL; non-avoider = 276 ng/mL; p = 0.03).

Conclusion: While individual-level behavior change can help shift chemical exposures among Black and Hispanic/Latina women, advocacy for safer chemicals and ingredient transparency is needed to achieve health equity.