International prevalence of fragrance sensitivity

Abstract

Emissions and exposures from fragranced consumer products, such as air fresheners and cleaning supplies, have been associated with health problems and societal impacts. This study investigates effects of fragranced consumer products on the general population in four countries: United States, Australia, United Kingdom, and Sweden. Nationally representative population surveys (n = 1137; 1098; 1100; 1100) found that, across the four countries, 32.2% of adults (34.7%, 33.0%, 27.8%, 33.1% respectively) report fragrance sensitivity; that is, adverse health effects from fragranced consumer products. For instance, 17.4% report health problems from air fresheners or deodorizers, and 15.7% from being in a room cleaned with scented products. Commonly reported health problems include respiratory difficulties (16.7%), mucosal symptoms (13.2%), migraine headaches (12.6%), skin rashes (9.1%), and asthma attacks (7.0%). For 9.5% of the population, the severity of health effects can be considered disabling. Further, 9.0% of the population have lost workdays or lost a job, in the past year, due to illness from fragranced product exposure in the workplace. Personal estimated costs due to these lost workdays and lost jobs, across the four countries in one year, exceed $146 billion (USD). A majority of people across the countries would prefer that workplaces, health care facilities and professionals, hotels, and airplanes were fragrance-free rather than fragranced. The study highlights a concern for public health and societal well-being, as well as an approach to reduce risks and costs: reduce exposure to fragranced products.

Pandemic products and volatile chemical emissions

“…Our findings are consistent with prior studies of fragranced cleaning products and air fresheners (Steinemann 2015(Steinemann , 2017b(Steinemann , 2019aSteinemann et al 2011;Nematollahi et al 2019Nematollahi et al , 2018; Uhde and Schulz 2015) as follows. First, terpenes 188 occurrences 96 identities 58 occurrences 24 identities 7 occurrences 5 identities 5 occurrences 3 identities Total 26 399 occurrences 172 identities 127 occurrences 46 identities 16 occurrences 7 identities 14 occurrences 5 identities *"VOC occurrences" refers to the number of individual VOCs emitted from the products "VOC identities" refers to the number of distinctly named VOCs emitted from one or more of the products (e.g., limonene) were the most commonly emitted ingredients.…”

Between attraction and avoidance: from perfume application to fragrance-free policies

“…In Germany, 19.9% of the population report one or more types of adverse health effects from exposure to fragranced products [1]. In similar representative surveys in the USA, Australia, the UK, and Sweden the numbers were even higher with 34.7%, 33.0%, 27.8%, 33.1%, respectively, reporting fragrance sensitivity [2]. These results show the relevance of this issue.…”

The fragranced products phenomenon: air quality and health, science and policy

“…For vulnerable individuals, the percentages are higher: 20.6% of asthmatic individuals and 59.4% of autistic individuals have lost workdays or lost a job, in the past year, due to fragranced product exposure in the workplace. (Steinemann 2019b. ) Personal costs due to these lost workdays and lost jobs, in the past year, ranged from an estimated $86 billion to $206 billion, with a midrange value of $146 billion (in terms of 2016 USD).…”

“…Losses estimated for each country (US, AU, UK, SE) are as follows (midrange value, 2016 USD): $132 billion, $2.7 billion, $10.5 billion, $900 million. (Steinemann 2019b. ) Given the population of 33.9 million people who have lost workdays or a job due to fragranced product exposure (30.2 million, 1.1 million, 2.2 million, 0.4 million), this represents an average annual cost of $4300 USD per person.…”

“…"Fragrance sensitivity" is a health condition characterized by one or more types of adverse health effects from exposure to one or more types of fragranced consumer products (Steinemann 2019b).…”