Analysis of usage patterns and probabilistic risk assessment of personal care products in Korea.

In daily life, many people use large amounts of personal care products (PCPs) on a regular basis. For determining the risk to consumers, product usage amount, frequency of use, and co-use patterns are essential information. In this study, the PCP usage patterns of Korean consumers were analyzed, and the data were used to develop a probabilistic risk assessment. A web-based questionnaire was used to evaluate the PCP usage patterns of consumers. A model developed by Crème Global in conjunction with the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials was used to measure the systemic exposure to PCP ingredients. The use rates of 10 PCP family are compared with reported values obtained for populations in California and Switzerland which showed some distinct characteristics of Korean consumers. The co-use combinations of the 10 families of products frequently used by consumers were analyzed in an attempt to calculate aggregate exposure. Seven ingredients were selected and the aggregate risk assessment were performed based on bootstrapping analysis. The probability of the Hazard Quotient of all seven ingredients exceeding 1 was zero. The data of the usage patterns of Korean consumers reported here will be of value in developing more precise aggregate exposure risk analysis.

Changes in handwashing and hygiene product usage patterns in Korea before and after the outbreak of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization declared COVID-19, the disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing, handwashing, using hand sanitizer, and wearing facial masks are recommended as the first line of protection against COVID-19. Encouraging hand hygiene may be one of the most cost-effective means of reducing the global burden of disease. METHODS: This study uses a web-based questionnaire to evaluate the usage patterns and consumer perceptions of the effectiveness and health safety of bar soap, liquid hand soap, and hand sanitizer products before and after the spread of COVID-19. RESULTS: The results show that since the outbreak of COVID-19, the number of consumers who primarily use bar soap has decreased from 71.8 to 51.4%, the number of those who primarily use liquid hand soap has increased from 23.5 to 41.3%, and the number of those who use and carry hand sanitizer has increased. The frequency of use, duration of use, and amount used of all three products have increased significantly since the COVID-19 outbreak. Finally, consumer perception of the products' preventive effect against COVID-19 is higher for liquid hand soap and hand sanitizer than it is for bar soap. CONCLUSIONS: Because use of hand sanitizers has increased, public health guidelines must address the potential risks associated them. Our data also show that the public is abiding by the recommendations of the regulatory authorities. As handwashing has become important in preventing COVID-19 infections, the results of our study will support the development of better handwashing guidelines and a public health campaign. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12302-021-00517-8.