I r i s C a n t o r - U C L A W o m e n ’ s H e a l t h E d u c a t i o n & R e s o u r c e C e n t e r
K a r e n S i n g h
YOU OFTEN CANNOT SEE, SMELL, OR TASTE TOXIC CHEMICALS
Women living or working in the most polluted neighborhoods often come in contact with harmful chemicals in the air.
WHERE YOU LIVE AND WORK AND YOUR HEALTH
HEALTH CONCERNS
Trouble getting pregnant
Difficulties during pregnancy
Miscarriage
Babies born too early
Birth defects
Early puberty
Learning problems
Cancer
P R O B L E M S F O R Y O U
P R O B L E M S F O R Y O U R C H I L D
African-American and Latino communities are especially exposed to toxins
REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE
Seal cracks, clean up crumbs, and use traps to keep bugs away instead of sprays, dusts, and bombs.
DON’T SPRAY BUGS
Lead may be found in house paints, dust, and garden soil.
Use water-based paints, glues, and materials for home improvements.
AVOID LEAD EXPOSURE
Use a wet mop or cloth to get rid of dust instead of spreading dust around with a dry cloth.
GET OUT YOUR MOP
Make non-toxic cleaning products – it’s cheap and easy! Try making an all-purpose cleaner by mixing 1 cup of white distilled vinegar with 1 cup of water.
CLEAN WITH NON-TOXIC PRODUCTS
Eat salmon, tilapia, pollock, catfish, king crab, shrimp, and light canned tuna as they have low mercury levels.
Avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.
WATCH OUT FOR MERCURY IN FISH
Buy produce with low pesticide levels -eat fresh and frozen produce.
Eat fruits and vegetables with thick skin that can be peeled.
Avoid canned goods.
Limit foods with animal fat.
AVOID PESTICIDES AND TOXINS IN FOOD
PLASTICS TO AVOID
Linked to infertility, cancer, obesity, diabetes, early puberty, and behavioral changes in children.
Used in lining of some canned foods.
Found to affect reproduction, sexual development, and the developing immune system in laboratory animals.
Most often used in piping and hard plastics. Can be found in some cling wrap, plastic squeeze bottles, and plastic jars.
B I S P H E N O L A ( B P A ) P O L Y V I N Y L C H L O R I D E ( P V C )
Avoid crib mattresses, nap mats, and other upholstered products with flame retardants. Buy products labeled “flame retardant free.”
SELECT FLAME RETARDANT-FREE PRODUCTS
READ PRODUCT LABELS AND LOOK OUT FOR:
• Formaldehyde• Galaxolide• Hydroquinone• Lead
• Thimerosal• Toluene• Tonalide• 1,4-dioxane
• Oxybenzone• Parabens• Phthalates• Sodium laureth
sulfate
HARMFUL CHEMICALS MAY ALSO BE IN SHAMPOO, NAIL POLISH, AND SKIN LOTIONS
MINIMIZE EXPOSURE AT WORK
Frequently wash your hands.
Use gloves.
Use protective gear.
RECRUITMENT FLYER
RECRUITING COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
• Originally reached out to 33 community based organizations (CBOs)
• 16 CBOs made contact and followed up on the program
• 10 CBOs ultimately decided to implement program
CBOS IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMAlta Med
Children’s Bureau
El Nido Family Centers
Esperanza Community Housing
Hooper Elementary School
Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma
Pacoima Beautiful
Salvation Army – Red Shield
Semillas de Esperanza
Women, Infants, and Children – 11 sites
DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONNAIRE1. What is your age range?
2. Zip code where you live:
3. Please specify your race/ethnicity (pick as many as needed)
4. Do you have children?
5. Are you planning on having children in the future?
6. In general, would you say your health is:
7. How would you rate the air quality in your neighborhood?
8. Are industrial manufacturing companies nearby where you live?
9. Does your neighborhood have parks, playgrounds, or open spaces with trees and grass?
10. Have doctors or nurses ever talked to you about lead or mercury exposure?
11. Have doctors or nurses ever talked to you about contact with other harmful chemicals at home, at work, in food, and/or in personal care products?
12. Do you limit your contact with chemicals in: (check all that apply)
PRE- AND POST- TESTS
PRE- AND POST-TESTS
5%
37%
31%
19%
6%
2%
Age range
18‐24 years old
25‐34 years old
35‐44 years old
45‐54 years old
55 years old and above
Don't want to answer86%
1%1%
4%6%
2%
Race/ethnicity
Hispanic or Latina
American Indian or AlaskaNative
Asian
Black or African American
White
Don't want to answer
19%
63%
14%
4%
Are you planning on having children in the future?
Yes
No
Don't know
Don't want to answer
7%
21%
48%
21%
3%
In general, would you say your health is:
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
1%
6%
31%
40%
22%
How would you rate the air quality in your neighborhood?
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
50%50%
Are industrial manufacturing companies nearby where you live?
Yes
No
34%
61%
5%
Have doctors or nurses ever talked to you about contact with harmful chemicals at home, at
work, in food, and/or in personal care products?
Yes
No
Don't know 65%
15%
20%
Do you limit your contact with chemicals in foods that you eat?
Yes
No
Don't know
55%
24%
20%
1%
Do you limit your contact with chemicals in health and beauty
products?
Yes
No
Don't know
Don't want to answer
51%
29%
19%
1%
Do you limit your contact with chemicals in household
furnishings?
Yes
No
Don't know
Don't want to answer
64%
22%
13%
1%
Do you limit your contact with chemicals in cleaning products?
Yes
No
Don't know
Don't want to answer
64%
20%
15%
1%
Do you limit your contact with chemicals in food storage
containers?
Yes
No
Don't know
Don't want to answer
I N C R E A S E D L I K E L I H O O D T O A C T
A 2.5-fold increase in likelihood to always or often take actions
7.5 fold increase in taking shoes off at the door at home
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Always Often Sometimes Rarely NeverBefore class 20 9 19 39 95
After class 102 40 17 6 7
Participants
I do/I plan to take off shoes at the door so that toxins from outside don't come inside the home
4-fold increase in using beauty products, personal care products, and baby products.
4-fold increase in using cleaning products without toxins to clean homes
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Always Often Sometimes Rarely NeverBefore class 19 40 74 27 13
After class 98 37 26 12 4
Participants
I do/I plan to use beauty products, personal care products, and baby products that don't have toxins
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Always Often Sometimes Rarely NeverBefore class 26 27 55 37 35
After class 108 39 21 5 2Participants
I do/I plan to clean my home with cleaning products that don't have toxins, like baking soda and vinegar
4-fold increase in using glass or steel containers instead of plastic containers for food
5-fold increase in walking, riding a bike, or using public transportation instead of driving a car
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Always Often Sometimes Rarely NeverBefore class 25 35 63 40 20
After class 114 42 10 3 3
Participants
I do/I plan to use glass or steel containers instead of plastic containers
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Always Often Sometimes Rarely NeverBefore class 17 18 53 56 38
After class 66 48 41 13 6
Participants
I do/I plan to walk, ride a bike, or use public transportation instead of driving a car, when I can
DEVELOPED BY:
THE IRIS CANTOR-UCLA WOMEN’S HEALTH EDUCATION & RESEARCH CENTER
911 BROXTON AVE., 1ST FLOORLOS ANGELES, CA 90024
WWW.WOMENSHEALTH.UCLA.EDU310-794-8062
CONTACT:JULIE FRIEDMAN, MPH
Top Related