iris cantor-ucla women’s health education & resource...

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

DIRECTORJAFRIEDMAN@MEDNET.UCLA.EDU