Abstract
BackgroundTattooing is among identified risk factor for blood-borne diseases. ObjectiveThis study aims to determine the prevalence of tattooing during lifetime and in prisons and its related factors among Iranian prisoners. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study. The required data was obtained from hepatitis B and C surveillance surveys in prisons in 2015–2016 that was collected through face-to-face interview. 12,800 prisoners were selected by multi-stage random sampling from 55 prisons of 19 provinces in Iran. Weighted prevalence and associated factors (using Chi-Square test and multivariate logistic regression) were determined by Stata/SE 14.0 survey package. ResultsOut of 12,800 prisioners, 11,988 participated in the study (93.6% participation rate). The prevalence of tattooing in lifetime and in prisons was 44.7% and 31.1% respectively. The prevalence of tattooing during lifetime was significantly associated with age<35 years, being single, illiteracy, history of imprisonment, drug use, piercing during lifetime, extramarital sex and history of STI; the prevalence of tattooing in prison had a significant association with history of imprisonment, drug use, piercing in prison, and history of extramarital sex (p<0.05). Study limitationsInformation and selection bias was one of the study limitations. ConclusionThe results of this study showed that the prevalence of tattooing during lifetime and in prison among prisoners was significantly high especially in high-risk groups such as drug users and sexually active subjects. Given the role of tattooing, drug injection and sex in the transmission of blood-borne diseases, harm reduction programs are recommended to reduce these high-risk behaviors in prisons.
Highlights
Tattooing has become prevalent; increased tendency of individuals for tattooing cannot be ignored.[1]
This study aims to determine the prevalence of tattooing during lifetime and in prisons as well as its related factors among Iranian prisoners in 2015 and 2016
Analysis in the subgroups of prisoners showed that the prevalence of tattooing both in lifetime and in prison was significantly higher in subjects with a history of imprisonment than those without any incarceration, in prisoners with more than 5 times imprisonment than those with 1---2 times, in individual with prison term > 5 years than those with ≤ 5 years, in drug users than non-drug users, in Prisoners Who Inject Drugs (PWID) compared to non-injection drug users, in inmates with a history of piercing in prison than those with no history, and in individuals with extramarital sex than those with no non-marital sex (p < 0.05)
Summary
Tattooing has become prevalent; increased tendency of individuals for tattooing cannot be ignored.[1]. A cross-sectional assess in most international studies in 2009 shows that more than 55% of prisoners in different countries7---10 and 45% of Iranian prisoners[11] have tattoos. The results of studies conducted in African[12] and European countries[13] reveal that the prevalence of tattooing in prisons is 67% and 45%, respectively. Fewer studies have examined this high-risk behavior in a high-risk group such as prisoners These few studies show that tattooing in prison is associated with high-risk behaviors such as history of drug injection, injection in prison, history of shared injection, sex in prison, and multiple sex partners.[17,18]. Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of tattooing during lifetime and in prisons and its related factors among Iranian prisoners. Study limitations: Information and selection bias was one of the study limitations
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