Influence of Psycho-Social Factors on Skin Bleaching Among Women in Nairobi County, Kenya.

Abstract

Skin-bleaching refers to using beauty products like creams and soaps to whiten the skin. Past studies have indicated that skin-bleaching products have negative implications for the user. However, many women in Nairobi County continue applying skin-bleaching products despite evidence that they are harmful. Empirical evidence shows that little attention has been paid to demographic characteristics, body image, and peer pressure as significant factors influencing the continued behavior of skin bleaching among women living in Nairobi County. The current study examined the influence of psycho-social factors on skin bleaching among women in Nairobi County. The study’s objectives were: To examine the influence of demographic characteristics on skin bleaching among women in Nairobi County, to establish the influence of body image on skin bleaching among women in Nairobi County, and to find out the influence of peer pressure on skin bleaching among women in Nairobi County. Objectification and Social Learning theories were adopted to guide the study. The study used descriptive design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 123 women purchasing skin-bleaching products from shops retailing cosmetic products within Nairobi County. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from the 123 participants while interviews involving 10 participants were conducted to collect qualitative data. The data collection tools were piloted using data collected within Nairobi CBD to ensure their validity and reliability. Quantitative data were analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics such as frequencies, mean, percentage, and standard deviation, and the use of correlation to test the significance of the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The findings were presented in bar charts and tables. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically and presented in verbatim. The findings based on the responses indicated that the average score of the aggregate items measuring different independent variables were; demographic characteristics (3.06; indifferent), body image (2.94; indifferent), and peer pressure (2.91; indifferent). The scores indicate that demographic characteristics, body image, and peer pressure did not have a strong influence on skin-bleaching. Further correlation analysis denoted a 0.194 correlation between body image and skin bleaching with a p-value of 0.031. This was an indication of a statistically significant and positive relationship between body image and skin-bleaching. The correlations for demographic characteristics and peer pressure were 0.065 and 0.058 with p-values of 0.478 and 0.526 respectively. The figures indicated that demographic characteristics and peer pressure did not have a significant relationship with skin-bleaching. Regression analysis revealed that body image was a significant predictor of skin bleaching with an adjusted R-square value of 0.030 and p-value of 0.031. It was concluded that peer pressure and demographic characteristics did not have a significant relationship with skin-bleaching while body image had a significant influence on skin-bleaching among women in Nairobi County. The findings have added knowledge in the area of skin bleaching within Nairobi and may help psychotherapists and other helpers in designing tailor-made interventions to empower women address body image challenges and desist from bleaching themselves. Further studies focusing on other possible predictor variables of skin bleaching to be conducted within Nairobi and other counties in Kenya.