About the Research
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are environmental chemicals that can disrupt normal bodily processes. EDCs enter the body through breathing in fumes or skin contact with EDC- containing products. EDCs are often found in personal care products. Specifically, chemicals in hair products have been linked to endocrine diseases that are more prevalent among Black, Hispanic, and Asian women and girls.
Our research aims to:
Characterize the understanding of the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC)s on the reproductive and endocrine system..
Assess the use of personal care products containing EDCs via a website.
Characterize knowledge and attitudes about personal care product use, EDCs, and EDCs’ impact on health.
Why is this important?
Recent studies show a racial/ethnic difference in hair and personal care product use with Black women who tend to use more hair oils, lotions, chemical relaxers, leave-in conditioners, and placenta containing products.
The chemicals in personal care products have been linked to endocrine diseases. These diseases include early puberty, preterm–birth, obesity, and diabetes. Other new research has shown that menstrual cycle irregularity, ovulation disorders, risk of earlier menopause, and uterine fibroids are also some of the hormonal diseases that can result from endocrine disruption.
Increasing research, education, and policy on the ingredients in personal care products is important to reducing these differences in health in women in of color.
Participation
*English literacy required
Cohort A: Who can participate?
- Age 18 and above
- Able to access internet for website based content.
- Female assigned sex at birth and female identifying
- Identify as Black/ African American
- Willing to provide urine samples
- Lives in the greater Boston area
** Participants who provide both urine samples will receive $50 compensation
Cohort B: Who can participate?
- Female assigned sex at birth and female-identifying
- All races/ethnicities
- Age 18 and above
- Able to access internet for website-based content
What will I have to do?
All participants must agree to respond to two surveys. Participants who have volunteered for urine sampling will provide two urine samples in addition to the two surveys. All participants will download the Beauty Edit Study website and follow the missions for the next 3 weeks, with at most 3 hours of active participation time.
Sample collection kits will be sent out to participants in cohort A (those who have volunteered for urine sampling). The sample collection kit will have everything needed to collect and ship back the samples.
Your participation is valuable to science! Participants in cohort A who ship back both their urine samples will be compensated $50.
Contact the Research Team
If you are interested in enrolling in the Beauty Edit Study, follow this link to the online consent form and screener. You can also contact the research team by emailingmlab@hsph.harvard.edu
Shruthi Mahalingaiah
Principal Investigator
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Ready to Participate?
If you are interested in participating in the Beauty Edit Study, click the link below to the online consent form and screener. If eligible, you will be automatically directed to the survey. The initial survey will take around 25 minutes to complete.
By clicking “Enroll,” and completing the survey at the destination link, you are opting to receive SMS messages from (877) 960-1041 throughout the duration of the study period. You can opt-out of receiving messages at any time by emailing mlab@hsph.harvard.edu with your phone number. Standard messaging rates and charges may apply.