Examining differences in menstrual and intimate care product use by race/ethnicity and education among menstruating individuals.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

United States consumers spend over two billion dollars a year on intimate care products. These products, along with scented menstrual products, are marketed for odor control, perceived "freshness," and vaginal/vulvar cleanliness. However, these scent-altering products may increase exposure to carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Prior research has not adequately characterized demographic differences in product use. The objective of our study is to examine racial/ethnic and educational differences in menstrual and intimate care product use among people who menstruate.

Methods

We pooled data from two US-based cross sectional studies to examine demographic characteristics and product use in 661 participants aged 18-54 years. Participants reported use of

SUBMITTER: Zota AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10731462 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature