To examine whether parents' concerns about environmental chemical exposures were associated with urinary phthalate and phenol concentrations in their school-age children.

In a prospective cohort of 218 mother-child pairs from Cincinnati, Ohio (2010-2014), we measured 11 phthalate metabolites and 5 phenols in urine samples when children were age 8 years and used questionnaire data from caregivers. We estimated the covariate-adjusted percent difference in phthalates and phenols among children of parents who expressed concern about environmental chemical exposures compared with children whose parents did not.

Concentrations of 4 phthalates, bisphenol S, and bisphenol A were lower among children whose parents expressed concern about environmental chemicals (n = 122) compared with those who did not (n = 96). Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate metabolites, bisphenol S, and bisphenol A concentrations were 23% (95% CI −38, −5), 37% (95% CI −49, −21), and 13% (95% CI −26, 3) lower, respectively, among children whose parents expressed concern compared with those whose parents did not. Triclosan concentrations were 35% greater (95% CI −2, 87) among children whose parents expressed concern compared with children whose parents did not.

Parental concern about environmental chemicals was associated with lower childhood urine concentrations of several phthalates and phenols; unexpectedly, parental concern was associated with greater triclosan concentrations. These results suggest that parental concern may be an important factor in mitigating children's phthalate and phenol exposures.