Exploring Associations Between the Phthalate Environmental Reproductive Health Literacy (PERHL) Scale & Biomarkers of Phthalate Exposure: A Pilot Study

Details

• Journal Article:
  Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology
• Personal Author:
  Tomsho, Kathryn S. ; Quinn, Marlee R. ; Preston, Emma V. ; Adamkiewicz, Gary ; James-Todd, Tamarra
• Description:
  Background: Perinatal exposure to phthalates is associated with adverse health impacts for parents and children. The field of environmental health literacy seeks to measure how environmental health information is conceptualized and used to inform behaviors. We assessed whether scores on the validated Phthalate Environmental Reproductive Health Literacy (PERHL) scale were associated with biomarkers of phthalate exposure. Methods: 42 members of the Environmental Reproductive and Glucose Outcomes (ERGO) cohort completed the PERHL scale and provided spot urine samples. Phthalate summary measures for model outcomes were created by calculating molar sums of specific gravity-corrected metabolite concentrations representing exposure to parent phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), personal care product (PCP)-associated phthalates, and parent butyl-phthalates. Linear regression models were used to estimate the associations of the PERHL scale scores with phthalate summary measures, controlling for educational attainment (college degree or higher vs. no college degree), age (years), and race and ethnicity (non-Hispanic White vs. non-White). Results: Higher scores on the PERHL Scale and subscales were generally associated with lower ΣDEHP, Σbutyl, and ΣPCP metabolite concentrations. A one-point increase in the 'Protective Behavior/Risk Control' subscale score was significantly associated with a -30.3% (95% CI: -50.1, -2.6) decrease in ΣDEHP, and a -30.6% (95% CI: -51.5, -0.63) decrease in Σbutyl metabolite concentrations.
• Subjects:
  Biomarkers Health Literacy Occupational Health Phthalic Acids Reproductive Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Environmental Health Literacy; Phthalates; Biomarkers Of Exposure; Psychometric Scale Biomarkers; Environmental Health; Behavior; Endocrine Disruptors; Phthalates; Pregnancy; Information Dissemination; Health Communications; Reproductive Health;
• Source:
  J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2025 Jul; 35(4):619-624
• ISSN:
  1559-0631
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; Boston Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  6 pdf pages
• Volume:
  35
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071416
• Contact Point Address:
  Kathryn S. Tomsho, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
• Email:
  ktomsho@hsph.harvard.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f8ae51e1e1c97158a88491f0a40224e5aac90e2a0866988def50471bed905770499ab7ae6b25c164ae9458813e01446089576144dc8fd9354a8e5d527c614573
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/259015/cdc_259015_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 398.99 KB ]