TY - JOUR
T1 - Skin Bleaching Among African and Afro-Caribbean Women in New York City
T2 - Primary Findings from a P30 Pilot Study
AU - Benn, Emma K.T.
AU - Deshpande, Richa
AU - Dotson-Newman, Ogonnaya
AU - Gordon, Sharon
AU - Scott, Marian
AU - Amarasiriwardena, Chitra
AU - Khan, Ikhlas A.
AU - Wang, Yan Hong
AU - Alexis, Andrew
AU - Kaufman, Bridget
AU - Moran, Hector
AU - Wen, Chi
AU - Charles, Christopher A.D.
AU - Younger, Novie O.M.
AU - Mohamed, Nihal
AU - Liu, Bian
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019, The Author(s).
PY - 2019/6/1
Y1 - 2019/6/1
N2 - Introduction: The application of skin bleaching products to inhibit melanogenesis is a common practice within the African diaspora. Despite the adverse health effects of skin bleaching, rigorous studies investigating skin bleaching behavior among these populations in the United States are limited. In our P30 pilot study, we explored predictors of skin bleaching practice intensity among African and Afro-Caribbean women. Methods: In collaboration with our Community Engagement Core, we conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the relationship between demographic and psychosocial predictors and skin-bleaching-related practice patterns among African and Afro-Caribbean women in New York City. Results: Among the 76 participants recruited, the median age at the initiation of skin bleaching was 19.5 (16–25) years, yielding a median duration of 13.5 (6–23) years. Although pregnant women were not actively recruited for the study, 13.2% (n = 10) of the participants used skin bleaching products while pregnant or possibly breastfeeding. Nativeness and education were associated with various components of skin bleaching practice intensity, including duration of skin bleaching, daily use of products, and bleaching of the entire body. Participants’ perceived skin-color-related quality of life was not associated with skin bleaching practice intensity. Conclusion: Skin bleaching is a habitual practice that likely requires culturally sensitive interventions to promote behavioral change. The existence of prenatal and postnatal exposure to mercury, hydroquinone, and other potentially harmful chemicals in skin bleaching products highlights an urgent need to explore the adverse effects of skin bleaching practices on birth outcomes and the growth and neurodevelopment of young babies.
AB - Introduction: The application of skin bleaching products to inhibit melanogenesis is a common practice within the African diaspora. Despite the adverse health effects of skin bleaching, rigorous studies investigating skin bleaching behavior among these populations in the United States are limited. In our P30 pilot study, we explored predictors of skin bleaching practice intensity among African and Afro-Caribbean women. Methods: In collaboration with our Community Engagement Core, we conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the relationship between demographic and psychosocial predictors and skin-bleaching-related practice patterns among African and Afro-Caribbean women in New York City. Results: Among the 76 participants recruited, the median age at the initiation of skin bleaching was 19.5 (16–25) years, yielding a median duration of 13.5 (6–23) years. Although pregnant women were not actively recruited for the study, 13.2% (n = 10) of the participants used skin bleaching products while pregnant or possibly breastfeeding. Nativeness and education were associated with various components of skin bleaching practice intensity, including duration of skin bleaching, daily use of products, and bleaching of the entire body. Participants’ perceived skin-color-related quality of life was not associated with skin bleaching practice intensity. Conclusion: Skin bleaching is a habitual practice that likely requires culturally sensitive interventions to promote behavioral change. The existence of prenatal and postnatal exposure to mercury, hydroquinone, and other potentially harmful chemicals in skin bleaching products highlights an urgent need to explore the adverse effects of skin bleaching practices on birth outcomes and the growth and neurodevelopment of young babies.
KW - African health
KW - Caribbean health
KW - Environmental health
KW - Immigrant health
KW - Skin bleaching
KW - Women’s health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064817168&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s13555-019-0297-y
DO - 10.1007/s13555-019-0297-y
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85064817168
SN - 2190-9172
VL - 9
SP - 355
EP - 367
JO - Dermatology and Therapy
JF - Dermatology and Therapy
IS - 2
ER -