Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Haircare Products among the Undergraduate Students in Universities and Higher Educational Institutes in Western Province, Sri Lanka.

Abstract

Background: Haircare refers to the practices and products used to maintain the health, cleanliness, and appearance of hair. There are several haircare products, such as shampoos, conditioners, hair oils etc., currently available in the market and they may help to stimulate hair follicle growth, prevent damage, such as split ends, breakage, and dryness and promote healthy hair growth. Having knowledge about haircare products, maintaining positive attitudes towards their benefits, and practicing effective and safe usage is important for achieving optimal results, promoting awareness, and ensuring overall hair health and well-being.

Objectives: To evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) on haircare products among undergraduates in universities and higher educational institutes in Western Province, Sri Lanka

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduates (n=201) aged 18-40 years in the Western province. A pre-tested self-administered structured questionnaire was prepared as a Google form in three languages i.e. Sinhala, English and Tamil, and distributed through social media platforms. The questionnaire consisted of sections relevant to sociodemographic details and KAP on haircare products.

Results: There were 84 undergraduates from state universities and 117 from non-state higher educational institutes. Among them, 72% were female. Shampoo (64.18%) and hair oil (48.26%) were the most abundantly used haircare products. However, only 40.79% of them selected haircare products according to their hair types and 26.36% were mentioned that they ‘never’ concerned about that. The rest of the participants mentioned it was ‘sometime’ (28.85%) and had ‘no idea’ about it (3.9%). Further, the study showed that undergraduates considered several factors when they purchased haircare products such as brand name (67.16%), price (65.17%), ingredients (71.64%), expiration date (65.17%), benefits on hair (73.6%), odour of the product (34.32%), container and packaging (22.89%). The study assessed the attitude of the participants on the statement ‘More expensive haircare products are better’ and the majority of participants (49.75%) were neutral on that. Only 18.91% agreed with that and 23.38% were disagreed. Conclusion: Based on the results some undergraduates are still unaware of the accurate information regarding haircare products, and some require further knowledge.