Prevalence and Factors Influencing the Use of Skin Lightening Products among Female Undergraduate University Students, Mogadishu, Somalia

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of skin-lightening product use among female undergraduate students in Mogadishu,

Methodology: The study employed a multi-stage sampling approach. Initially, purposive sampling was used to select four of the largest and most recognized universities in Mogadishu. To ensure proportional representation, stratified sampling was applied based on the student population of each university. Finally, simple random sampling was conducted within each stratum to select individual participants. The final sample size of 422 participants. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires, designed to capture information on the prevalence of skin-lightening product use, influencing factors, and social perceptions. The researchers used Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 2022) to perform data analysis which they are presented in figures and tables.

Findings: The study found that 74.4% of female respondents had used skin-lightening products which represents a higher percentage than the worldwide and African regional averages. The demographic data showed that 83.1% of respondents belonged to the age group of 20 to 25 years while 91.5% of respondents were unmarried which indicates that young single women experience stronger societal pressure to meet current beauty standards. The study found that socio-economic factors determine skin-lightening product usage because more than 54% of respondents identified as members of low-income families. The study found that people with low-income backgrounds use inexpensive skin-lightening products which contain dangerous unregulated chemicals. People practice this behavior because of cultural norms which link lighter skin to beauty and success and social mobility. Peer influence together with media representation had a major impact on the results as a large portion of respondents showed this behavior pattern. Platforms were a key source of influence in shaping their perceptions of beauty. However, concerningly, over 57% of participants expressed a lack of awareness regarding the ingredients in skin-lightening products and the health risks that these products pose which include skin irritation and dermatitis and the long-term systemic toxicity of certain chemicals like mercury and hydroquinone.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study’s findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive educational campaigns which will teach university students about the health dangers of skin-lightening products while showing them safer product options. Furthermore, public health protection requires stronger regulatory actions which should include a complete ban on all products that contain dangerous substances such as mercury and hydroquinone. University-led initiatives which include media campaigns that target specific audiences will help society to accept different skin tones while creating a positive body image for all people. The study recommends that scientists should investigate how skin-lightening products affect human health throughout their entire lifetime while governments should create new rules to control product availability in stores. The increasing problem of skin bleaching requires stronger public health measures because it harms both personal well-being and community standards of beauty.