Factors Influencing Ezposure to Household Detergents: An Ergotozicology Study
Commercial household detergents consist of a multitude of chemical products. The application of detergents in cleaning households has direct implications for human exposure to chemicals. This exposure depends on the cleaning strategies employed by homemakers, who are predominantly women responsible for domestic work. An ergotoxicological study was carried out to examine the factors that influence womens strategies for handling household detergents. Observations and in-depth interviews were carried out with 28 women responsible for the cleaning activities in their households. The women lived in a poor suburb on the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon. The study results showed that several factors influence womens strategies for handling household detergents. These include: (1) productrelated factors such as packaging, odor, efficacy, foaming action, ease of removal, authenticity, and price; (2) dwelling-related factors such as the age of the building, dwelling size, type and quantity of dirt (seasonal); (3) user-related factors including health, disability, preference of detergent type, and (4) cultural and socioeconomic factors such as value given to cleanliness, and family and social pressures. The adoption of an ergotoxicological approach provided information on factors that affect the quantities used and techniques employed in the consumption of household detergents. Simple and inexpensive substitutes were identified by some women to replace expensive chemical detergents. These include the use of equally effective natural cleaning products such as vinegar, lemon juice and fermented yogurt. The adoption of such alternative products may provide an effective strategy for reducing exposure to chemicals in household cleaning activities.
Rima R. Habib Amal El-Masri Robin L. Heath Shiraz Basma
Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
国际会议
17th World Congress on Ergonomics(第十七届国际人类工效学大会)
北京
英文
1-7
2009-08-09（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）