The cost of beauty: Perspectives of salon workers in Kisumu City, Kenya

Abstract

Despite occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products (PCPs), salon workers receive minimal formal protections. Consequently, most salon workers rely on personal safeguards. However, the nature of such individual-level safeguards remains unknown. Knowledge of risks associated with occupational use of cosmetics and PCPs and information needs of salon workers were investigated in Kisumu City, Kenya. Responses from 302 respondents showed that 84% were women and 30% had post-secondary education. Seventy percent reported knowing that ingestion, inhalation, dermal absorption, and injection are the pathways through which harmful products in cosmetics and PCPs may enter the body. Salon workers who had been employed for more than 5 years were at least twice more likely to report that it is not the case that cosmetics and PCPs only cause harm to children (5–10 years vs 1 year: OR = 2.440, 95% CI, 1.160–5.239; >10 years vs 1 year: OR = 8.857, 95% CI, 3.163–29.377); they were about three times more likely to either agree with the statement that cosmetics and PCPs only cause harm under prolonged exposure or to say that they did not know compared to their counterparts who had worked in the industry for 1 year (5–10 years vs 1 year: OR = 2.750, 95% CI, 1.144–7.179; >10 years vs 1 year: 3.179, 95% CI, 1.173–9.096). Over 50% of the respondents reported that they need information on how to protect themselves and others; on available protective measures; and on cosmetic products and PCPs that are safe. Sixty percent reported that they would prefer to get such information from the Ministry of Health at the county or national level and on product inserts. Overall, salon workers in Kisumu City are knowledgeable about the risks associated with their occupation but also appreciate gaps in their knowledge, which can be filled by government-mandated interventions.