Education on Exposure and Health Risks of Forever Chemicals (PFAS) for Housewives and Adolescent Girls

Cimi Ilmiawati; Roza Silvia; Dessy Arisanty; Elly Usman; Masrul; Arni Amir; Hasmiwati; Mohamad Reza; Didan Ariadapa Rahadi; Rezky Fauzan; Muhammad Abi Ghofari Siregar; Ivonne Olivia; Yuli Dwiharyani; Muhammad Ilham

doi:10.25077/jwa.33.1.28-38.2026

Authors

Cimi Ilmiawati Division of Environmental Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Roza Silvia Departement of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang
Dessy Arisanty Master's Programme of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Elly Usman Master's Programme of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Masrul Master's Programme of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Arni Amir Master's Programme of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Hasmiwati Master's Programme of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Mohamad Reza Master's Programme of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Didan Ariadapa Rahadi Master's Programme of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Rezky Fauzan Master’s Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Muhammad Abi Ghofari Siregar Master's Programme of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Ivonne Olivia Master’s Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Yuli Dwiharyani Master’s Program in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Muhammad Ilham Master's Programme of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25077/jwa.33.1.28-38.2026

Keywords:

household epuipment, awareness, cosmetics, knowlegde, PFAS

Abstract

Our community service activity aimed to increase knowledge and awareness about the dangers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as “forever chemicals,” which are commonly found in household products, food packaging, and cosmetics. Long-term exposure to PFAS has been associated with numerous serious health effects, including an increased risk of several cancers, disruption of hormone homeostasis, liver toxicity, impaired immune function, and adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes. The participants included housewives and adolescent girls (n = 20) who attended Padang Pasir Community Health Center, East Padang, Padang on 6 September 2025. An interactive educational session was conducted using a pre-test–post-test design to evaluate changes in knowledge and awareness. Analysis of participants who completed both assessments showed an improvement in knowledge following the intervention, with the greatest increases observed in understanding of healthy cooking utensils (50%) and the presence of persistent chemicals in cosmetics (50%). However, evaluation of awareness levels revealed only a minimal increase in median scores (from 57 to 60), which was not statistically significant (p = 0.221). We conclude that a focused educational session is effective in improving participants’ cognitive knowledge, but a more comprehensive and sustained approach is needed to promote meaningful behavioral change and deeper awareness, particularly since practicality and convenience remain major considerations when choosing household products, food packaging, and cosmetics.

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