Reproductive Outcomes in Salon Employees (ROSE).

摘要

Cosmetologists constitute a major occupational group of female workers who sustain chemical exposures during their reproductive lifespan. In fact, there are between 500,000 and 750,000 cosmetologists in the United States alone, and 80-85% of these workers are women. The National Occupational Exposure Survey indicates that cosmetologists are regularly exposed to many chemicals, including dibutyl phthalate (CAS Number 84-74-2), N-hydroxymethylacrylamide (CAS Number 924-42-5), ethylene glycol (CAS Number 107-21-1), and 2,2 bis(BM)1,3-propanediol (CAS Number 3296-90-0). This poses a serious human health concern because these chemicals have been prioritized for study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) due to the potential for a large number of workers to be exposed to the chemicals and evidence that the chemicals adversely affect reproduction or development in animal models (please see RFA-OH-05-003). Despite the large number of cosmetologists exposed to chemicals prioritized for study by NIOSH and the ability of such chemicals to cause reproductive toxicity in animal models, little was known about reproductive function in cosmetologists. Thus, this study tested the hypothesis that exposure to chemicals used in cosmetology businesses is associated with reproductive abnormalities in women through mechanisms involving destruction of ovarian follicles. To test this hypothesis, we determined whether cosmetologists have an increased risk of reproductive abnormalities compared to women who are not cosmetologists (specific aim 1) and investigated whether cosmetologists have reduced ovarian volume and follicle numbers compared to women who are not cosmetologists (specific aim 2). To complete the specific aims, we designed and conducted a large survey-based study of cosmetologists and non-cosmetologists who were residents of the Baltimore metropolitan region (please note this includes Baltimore city and its surrounding counties). We named this study Reproductive Outcomes in Salon Employees (ROSE).