Assessing Workplace Phthalate Exposures Among Massage Therapy Students

说明(申请人提供)：由于邻苯二甲酸酯在许多消费品中的广泛使用，邻苯二甲酸酯暴露在普通人群中普遍存在。产前暴露于邻苯二甲酸盐的水平越高，男性胎儿生殖发育不良的风险就越高。按摩治疗师是一个潜在的职业群体，由于他们大量接触含有这些化学物质的产品，因此有暴露于邻苯二甲酸盐的风险。需要更好地了解工作环境中使用的产品的邻苯二甲酸盐暴露的来源和程度，并可能有必要制定干预指南(即不含邻苯二甲酸盐的产品)，以减少暴露并保护不断扩大的工人群体。这项研究的主要目标是探索与护肤品相关的邻苯二甲酸盐暴露的程度，如用于治疗按摩的乳液、油和面霜。这项工作将与费城地区的两所大型按摩学校合作进行，其中一所学校的政策是不含邻苯二甲酸盐。这项研究的具体目的是：1)确定按摩师学生在工作环境中接触邻苯二甲酸酯的职业程度；2)测定按摩师学生尿液生物标志物MEP和MBP的水平，这些是邻苯二甲酸二乙酯(DEP)和邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)的主要代谢物，同时控制个人产品的使用、年龄、体重指数(BMI)和吸烟；3)比较使用不含邻苯二甲酸二乙酯替代品的按摩师学生和不承认使用不含邻苯二甲酸产品的按摩师学生在轮班期间收集的个人DEP和DBP空气样本的尿生物标志物水平；4)探讨工程控制(局部排气、开窗)和工作习惯(洗手次数、产品用量)与邻苯二甲酸酯类护肤品使用者尿生物标记物MEP和MBP水平的关系。这项横断面研究包括进行问卷调查，并在两家按摩院之间采集工作场所轮班前和轮班后的尿液以及轮班期间的空气样本。数据分析将涉及描述性统计、斯皮尔曼系数相关性和逐步多元线性回归分析。这一知识将有助于进一步了解按摩治疗师暴露的来源和程度，并有助于制定公共卫生准则，以减少职业暴露于可能有害生殖健康的物质的水平。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Phthalates exposures are ubiquitous in the general population due to their widespread usage in many consumer products. Higher prenatal levels of exposure to phthalates are associated with an increased risk for adverse male fetal reproductive development. Massage therapists are a potential occupational group at risk for phthalate exposure as a result of their high exposure to numerous products containing these chemicals. A better understanding of the source and extent of phthalate exposure from products used in the worksetting is needed, and guidelines for interventions (i.e. phthalate-free products) may be necessary to reduce exposures and protect this expanding worker population. The overarching goal of this research study is to explore the extent of phthalate exposure related to skincare products such as lotions, oils, and creams used in therapeutic massage. This work will be conducted in partnership with two large therapeutic massage schools in the Philadelphia area, one of which has a phthalate-free policy. The specific aims for the proposed study are:1) To determine the extent of occupational exposure of massage therapist students to phthalates in the work setting; 2)To determine the levels of the urinary biomarkers MEP and MBP, the main metabolites of Diethyl Phthalate (DEP) and Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) in massage therapist students, while controlling for personal product usage, age, body mass index (BMI), and smoking; 3) To compare the urinary biomarker levels of MEP and MBP and personal DEP and DBP air samples collected across the work shift among massage therapist students who use phthalate-free alternatives with massage therapist students who do not acknowledge using phthalate-free products; 4)To explore the relationship between self- reported engineering controls (local exhaust ventilation, open windows) and work practices (frequency of hand washing, amount of product usage) to urinary biomarker levels of MEP and MBP among users of phthalate-containing skincare products. This cross-sectional study involves administering a questionnaire and obtaining pre-and post-shift urine as well as cross-shift air samples in the workplace among the two massage schools. Data analysis will involve descriptive statistics, spearman coefficient correlations, and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. This knowledge will be useful for understanding further the sources and extent of exposures among massage therapists and can inform the development of public health guidelines to reduce occupational levels of exposure to substances that have the potential to be harmful to reproductive health.