Many immigrant women working in the United States might be at risk of developing breast cancer because of chemicals they are exposed to at their jobs, according to a new study.
This research, led by Silent Spring Institute and published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, is one of the first to look at how job-related chemical exposure might increase the risk of breast cancer for women born outside the U.S.
In many workplaces, health and safety rules are not always strong or well-enforced, especially in jobs often done by immigrant women. The researchers wanted to understand if the kinds of work these women do could help explain why breast cancer rates are sometimes higher after they move to the U.S.
To study this, researchers from Silent Spring, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco looked at U.S. Census data to find out what jobs immigrant women are most likely to do. They then compared that information to a list of jobs in California known to involve harmful chemical exposure, especially chemicals linked to breast cancer.
The most common jobs held by immigrant women include house cleaners, nurses, cashiers, janitors, and care aides. Among these, house cleaners and nurses are exposed to the highest levels of harmful chemicals.
These chemicals include cleaning products, perfumes, pesticides, and other substances that can interfere with hormones in the body. Hormone disruption is one of the ways breast cancer can develop.
Dr. Kristin Knox, the lead author of the study, explained that most past research on workplace safety has focused on men. This means there’s a gap in knowledge when it comes to women’s health risks at work, especially for immigrant women.
The study found that these women are more likely to be in jobs with high chemical exposure, and therefore more likely to face long-term health problems.
The study also found that language skills and education levels make a big difference. Immigrant women who speak better English and have higher education levels were more likely to work in lower-risk jobs, such as office work or tech roles. But those with less education or limited English were more often found in jobs with greater chemical exposure.
Erin Carerra, a co-author of the study and a nurse at UCSF, pointed out that many immigrant women don’t feel comfortable speaking out about safety issues at work. Some may fear losing their jobs, especially if they are undocumented.
Others may not understand warning labels because of language barriers. These challenges make it even harder to protect their health.
This study is just the beginning. In the next phase, the researchers will collect more detailed information. They’ll ask women working in high-risk jobs to wear silicone wristbands that can measure chemical exposure in the air. They’ll also collect urine samples and do interviews to learn about the women’s workplace experiences and health concerns.
The researchers hope their findings will lead to stronger rules to protect women in these jobs. For example, hospitals could start using safer cleaning products. Families that hire house cleaners could learn about non-toxic options and offer better protections.
Overall, this study shows that immigrant women working in certain jobs are at higher risk for harmful chemical exposure that could lead to breast cancer. Understanding these risks is an important step toward making sure all workers are safe and healthy—no matter where they come from or what job they do.
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The study is published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology.
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