Prevalence Of Tattoos Research Articles

Tattooing among high school students in southern Taiwan: The prevalence, correlates and associations with risk-taking behaviors and depression

This study aims to examine the prevalence and sociodemographics, family and peer correlates of tattooing among high school students in southern Taiwan, and to examine the associations between tattooing and a variety of adolescent risk-taking behaviors and depression. A total of 9755 high school students (grades 7 to 12) in southern Taiwan were recruited into this study and completed the questionnaires. The prevalence of tattooing among the adolescents was calculated. The responses were analyzed using the logistic regression analysis models. It was found that 1% of high school students in southern Taiwan had 1 or more tattoos on their bodies. The older students who were perceived to have low family monitoring and who had friends who drink regularly, used illicit drugs, had a criminal record or were in a gang were more likely to have a tattoo. Tattooing was also found to be associated with violence, weekly alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, dropping out of school, unprotected sex, suicidal ideation/attempt, and depression. The results indicate that several demographics, family and peer factors are associated with adolescent tattooing. Tattooing may be an indicator of risk-taking behaviors in high school students.

The Association of Tattooing/Body Piercing and Psychopathology in Adolescents: A Community Based Study from Istanbul

We aimed to investigate the association of psychopathology with tattooing and body piercing among adolescents in Istanbul by means of self-report questionnaires. Tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade students from 2 high schools in Istanbul with a total number of 607 participated in the study. The Youth Self Report, Children's Depression Inventory and a detailed semi-structured inquiry assessing tattooing, body piercing and some psychiatric and psychosocial variables were administered to the students. The prevalence of tattooing and body piercing were 4.8 and 7%, respectively. The adolescents with tattooing and body piercing were found to have a higher frequency of alcohol and drug use, smoking, going to bars/night clubs and lower school grades when compared to those without tattooing and body piercing. Externalizing problems, mainly delinquent and aggressive behaviours were more prominent in the adolescents with tattooing and body piercing. Tattooing and body piercing in adolescents may be indicative of mental health risks.

Asociación entre tatuajes, perforaciones y conductas de riesgo en adolescentes

The use of tattoos and piercings has increased, especially among adolescents in the last decades. To evaluate the prevalence of these behaviors in adolescents and their association with risk behaviors such as alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use and sexual promiscuity. An anonymous and confidential survey about tattooing and piercings was applied to randomly selected high school teenagers, attending municipal, private-subsidized and private schools, in four sectors of Santiago (north-east, south-east, north-west, south-west). The surveys were answered by 1329 participants with a mean age of 15 years (62% women) from 9 schools in Santiago. The prevalence of tattoos was 1.7% (confidence intervals (CI) 1.1% to 2.5%). The figure for piercings was 30.6% (CI 28.2 to 33.1%). A higher prevalence of tattooing and piercings was observed in groups with a history of psychiatric disorders, criminal records, alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug consumption and initiation of sexual activity (p < 0,001). This study confirms that tattoos and piercings are indicators of adolescent risk behaviors.

Tattoos: what is their significance?

SummaryThe prevalence of tattoos is higher among people with mental disorders and those likely to come in contact with mental health services. The motivations for acquiring a tattoo are varied and tattoos can give clues to the presence of particular psychiatric conditions and to the inner world of patients. Psychiatrists need to be aware of the health and safety issues surrounding the tattooing procedure and be able to give appropriate advice to their patients if they wish to acquire a tattoo. The issue of capacity must be considered. This may be particularly relevant for clinicians working with adolescents, the most common age group for acquiring tattoos. Owing to the high proportion of adults who subsequently regret their tattoos and the associated psychological and social distress, clinicians should be aware of methods of tattoo removal.

Body art practices among inmates: Implications for transmission of bloodborne infections

Unsterile body art practices among inmates in prison have been implicated in the transmission of bloodborne viruses. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of tattooing and body piercing among inmates, identify factors associated with receiving a tattoo in prison, and explore the contexts of tattooing and body piercing in prison. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among randomly selected inmates in 17 state prisons in Illinois; a convenient sample of recently released exprisoners in Chicago, IL, participated in focus group discussions (FGDs). A total of 1819 (1293 men and 526 women) inmates participated in the survey, and 47 exprisoners participated in the FGDs. Sixty-seven percent of the survey sample had tattoos, and 60% had body piercings. More men (19.3%) than women (8.7%) had received tattoos in prison (odds ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval: 0.29-0.56); prevalence of body piercing in prison was low (1.3%) and similar for men and women. Factors associated with tattooing in prison include incarceration for 1 year or longer and having had sex in prison among both men and women; nonheterosexual identity for women only; and for men, being 30-39 years old; incarcerated 4 or more times; having a history of sharing needles, multiple vaginal sex partners, and inconsistent condom use in the 6 months before arrest. Focus groups provided information on body art practices in prison. Inmates had a variety of reasons for getting body art, equipment was often shared, and cleansing agents were not readily available. Tattooing and body piercing practices exist in prison and could constitute risks for transmission of bloodborne viral infections. Interventions to reduce these risks are discussed.

Accepting donors with tattoos and other in‐favor changes

Accepting donors with tattoos and other in‐favor changes

«Mein Körper gehört mir» – Kulturgeschichte und Psychologie des Piercing und Tattoo

At present tattoos and piercings can no longer be regarded as destructive acts of self mutilation practized by fringe groups. Body modifications (BMs) are found in virtually all preindustrial cultures and have their roots in ancient myths and magical rituals. The prevalence of tattoos and piercings in the German population is 8.5% and 6.8%, respectively. Unemployed young men and young women who do not live in a firm partnership show particularly high prevalences. The incidence of BMs correlates positively with the personality trait "sensation seeking", particularly in young women. BMs often serve to express individuality and identity, and they also reflect changed attitude towards the human body and body art as well as following fashion trends. However, BMs can also provide valuable diagnostic indications for identity search and risk taking behaviour.

Body of evidence: Tattoos, body piercing, and eating disorder symptoms among adolescents

Objective Tattoos and body piercing have been linked to risk-taking behaviors, including disordered eating, but the findings have come from selected samples that were at greater risk for bias due to comorbidity. This study set out to explore concurrently the prevalence of tattoos and body piercing, and eating disorder symptoms in a representative adolescent sample of a community in Sardinia, a major island in Italy. Methods A community sample of 828 students (female, 535; male, 282; mean age=17.5±1.4 years) among those attending high school in the district of Cagliari, Italy, were invited to take the Eating Attitudes Test, the Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh, and the Body Attitudes Test, alongside a short questionnaire aimed at evaluating their resorting to body modification practices, including tattooing and body piercing. Results Females scored higher than males at all eating disorder inventories. More males than females admitted the use of tattoos (14.5% vs. 5.4%), whereas the reverse was found for body piercing (18.4% vs. 21.3%). Tattoos among females and body piercing in both genders were statistically associated with eating disorder measures related to bulimia symptoms. On the whole, the degree of association was modest. Conclusions Tattoos and body piecing should be seen as desires to show a subject's identity rather than as a marker of psychopathology. Greater health education, however, is needed in the wake of the growing popularity of these body modification practices.

Prevalence of tattooing and body piercing in Germany and perception of health, mental disorders, and sensation seeking among tattooed and body-pierced individuals

Objective The objective of this study was to obtain data on the incidence and relationship of psychological factors to tattooing and body piercing from a large and representative sample of German citizens ( N=2043). Methodology Representative data (sample age range=14–93 years) were evaluated with respect to health-related quality of life (SF-36), mental health (General Health Questionnaire), mental disorders (Patient Health Questionnaire), and sensation seeking (Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking). Results The prevalence of tattooing and that of body piercing in the general German population are 8.5% and 6.5%, respectively. Individuals aged between 14 and 24 years display the highest rate of body piercings or tattoos (females, 41%; males, 27%). Within the group of individuals aged between 14 and 44 years, unemployment and nonaffiliation to a church are positively correlated, tattooing is significantly correlated with the perception of reduced mental health, and both tattooing and body piercing are correlated with significantly increased sensation-seeking behavior. Conclusions Next to being motivated by fashion and the urge to fit in with one's peers, the major reasons for body modification practices in the German population appear to be negatively perceived conditions of life, reduced social integration, and increased sensation-seeking behavior.

HIV education in a Siberian prison colony for drug dependent males.

AimTo evaluate the effectiveness of an HIV peer training program conducted in a colony for drug dependent male prisoners in Siberia, Russia.MethodQuestionnaires were used to collect data pre and post peer training sessions. Three peer training sessions were conducted between questionnaires. Fifteen to twenty inmates were trained as peer educators at each week-long health education training session.ResultsIn 2000 and 2001, 153 and 124 inmates completed the questionnaire respectively. Respondents in both years reported similar health and injecting histories and comparable levels of sexual activity. Respondents in 2001 were significantly more likely to correctly identify both how HIV can and cannot be transmitted compared to respondents in 2000. The prevalence of tattooing in prison decreased significantly between questionnaires. However, there was virtually no reported use of bleach to clean tattooing or injecting equipment in either 2000 or 2001. Access to condoms increased significantly between questionnaires.ConclusionsWhile this training program was associated with improved HIV knowledge, the Ministry of Justice should consider improved and additional harm reduction strategies. These include increased availability of bleach and condoms and the introduction of methadone treatment and syringe exchange in prison.

Tattooing and transfusion-transmitted diseases in Brazil: a hospital-based cross-sectional matched study.

Presence of tattoos has been a criterion for temporary deferral of blood donors. Scientific evidence remains equivocal regarding the association between tattooing and transfusion-transmitted diseases (TTDs). A cross-sectional matched study was undertaken among adults attending a Brazilian hospital and blood bank. The exposure of interest was having at least one permanent tattoo, and the outcomes were the presence of serological markers for the following TTDs: hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, syphilis, and Chagas' disease. Exposed and unexposed subjects were matched on age, sex, and main clinical complaint. Associations were assessed by odds ratios (ORs), adjusted for confounders by unconditional logistic regression. The study recruited 345 subjects, 182 with tattoos. Having a tattoo was associated with HCV (OR: 6.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29, 31.84), and with having at least one positive test for any TTD (OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.11, 3.81). No statistically significant associations were found between tattooing and HBV or HIV infection, syphilis or Chagas' disease, but these results are inconclusive given the large CI obtained. Having a tattoo is not an important indicator for testing positive for a TTD, except for HCV infection. Taking into consideration the increasing prevalence of tattooing in the general population, the absolute need of a safe and sustainable blood supply and optimization of the cost-effectiveness of screening blood donors, further research on tattoos is urgently required.

ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS TO APPEAR IN FUTURE ISSUES

Background: The goal was to examine tattooing in suicides, as tattoos have been associated with several risk factors for suicide. Method: A chart review of a three-year sample of 134 consecutive suicides in Mobile County, Alabama, was conducted. The prevalence of tattoos was compared between young (<30) white suicides and accidental deaths matched for age, gender and race, in a case-control study. Results: Tattoos were found in 21% of suicides. Fifty-seven percent of young white suicides were tattooed compared to 29% of matched accidental deaths. Limitations: Findings are preliminary due to the small sample size. The study methodology precluded obtaining information of psychiatric diagnoses prior to death. Conclusions: Tattoos may be possible markers for lethality from both suicide and accidental death in young people, presumably because of shared risk factors such as substance abuse and personality disorder. Affective disorders should receive further, more specific studies. The clinical value of inquiring about tattoos in young people at risk of suicide needs further study.

Prevalence of Body Art (Body Piercing and Tattooing) in University Undergraduates and Incidence of Medical Complications

To survey the prevalence of body art (body piercing and tattooing) in university undergraduate students and to determine the incidence of medical complications from these procedures. Between February and May 2001, students were offered the opportunity to complete an anonymous, voluntary survey at the beginning of class or organizational meetings. The survey instrument requested information concerning body piercing and tattooing (current or removed) by body site, age, sex, height, weight, body mass index, undergraduate class, athletic status, and the occurrence of medical complications. Four hundred fifty-four (94.4%) of 481 students completed the survey (14.7% of total campus enrollment). The prevalence of body piercing was 51%, and that of tattooing was 23%. The chi2 analysis showed female students were more likely to be pierced than males (P=.002); there was no significant difference in the prevalence of tattooing by sex. Male athletes were more likely to be tattooed than male nonathletes (P=.02). No relationships were shown between piercing/tattooing and age or measures of body somatotype. The incidence of medical complications of piercing was 17%, and these complications included bleeding, tissue trauma, and bacterial infections. Pierced navels were particularly prone to infection. There were no reported medical complications from tattooing. Eighteen percent of piercings (58/315) and 4% of tattoos (6/149) had been removed. Body art is prevalent among undergraduate university students, and there is a significant incidence of medical complications among students with piercing. Male athletes were significantly more likely to be tattooed than male nonathletes.

A case-control study of tattoos in young suicide victims as a possible marker of risk

Background: The goal was to examine tattooing in suicides, as tattoos have been associated with several risk factors for suicide. Method: A chart review of a three-year sample of 134 consecutive suicides in Mobile County, Alabama, was conducted. The prevalence of tattoos was compared between young (<30) white suicides and accidental deaths matched for age, gender and race, in a case-control study. Results: Tattoos were found in 21% of suicides. Fifty-seven percent of young white suicides were tattooed compared to 29% of matched accidental deaths. Limitations: Findings are preliminary due to the small sample size. The study methodology precluded obtaining information of psychiatric diagnoses prior to death. Conclusions: Tattoos may be possible markers for lethality from both suicide and accidental death in young people, presumably because of shared risk factors such as substance abuse and personality disorder. Affective disorders should receive further, more specific studies. The clinical value of inquiring about tattoos in young people at risk of suicide needs further study.

Is prison tattooing a risk behaviour for HIV and other viruses? Results from a national survey of prisoners in England and Wales

Background Tattooing has, for more than a century, been recognized as a potential source of transmission of pathogens such as syphilis and hepatitis B. With the advent of HIV and other viruses such as hepatitis C, the extent and nature of tattooing warrants specific study. Tattoos are commonly found on prison inmates, including crude tattoos self-applied or inflicted by others. The extent to which such prison tattoos might constitute a route of HIV transmission is not known and requires exploration. Method Confidential interviews with 1009 adult male prisoners in 13 prison establishments across England and Wales were conducted in 1994 by independent interviewers. Subjects were randomly selected through the LIDS (Local Inmate Data System), with stratification by prison wing, with a sampling fraction varying between one in four and one in six. An overall consent rate of 72% was achieved. Results A total of 53% (536) of the 1009 interviewees had been tattooed at least once in their lifetime, of whom 21% (111) had been tattooed whilst in prison. Of these, a third had never previously been tattooed. Half of these prison tattoos had been self-administered, using a wide variety of instruments. However only 20 of the prison tattoos had been applied within the last year. For a quarter (26) of the 111 prison-tattooed men, the tattoo had been applied at the same time as that of another prisoner. Crude attempts to sterilize the improvized tattooing equipment were commonly applied. Conclusions Despite a high lifetime prevalence of tattooing amongst this group, with a substantial proportion bearing prison-applied tattoos, the more recent period-prevalence of tattooing was low. The widely employed diverse cleaning methods suggest potential value in dissemination of advice about more effective hygiene and cleaning methods. Copyright © 2000 Whurr Publishers Ltd.

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF POXVIRUS IN SMALL CETACEANS FROM THE EASTERN SOUTH PACIFIC

AbstractThe prevalence of‘tattoo’skin lesions, characteristic of poxvirus infection, was examined in 339 small cetaceans captured in gillnet fisheries off coastal Peru: 196 Lagenorhynchus obscurus (34.7%, CI 29.0%–41.8%), 54 Delphinus capensis (61.1%, CI 46.6%–74.1%), 77 Phocoena spinipinnis (62.3%, CI 50.5%–73.2%) and 12 offshore Tursiops truncatus (41.6%, CI 15.2%–72.3%). Sexual variation in tattoo prevalence was significant only in P spinipinnis with males two times more infected than females. Prevalence of poxvirus infection was correlated with the body length class in all species. It peaked around weaning age, supposedly in part due to the loss of maternal protection, and then gradually decreased as immunity developed in the delphinids, but remained high in the porpoise. This pattern is indicative of an endemic infection equivalent to a children's viral disease. The generalized distribution of the tattoos in several animals suggests that viremia may occur. Indications are that the incidence of the disease in L. obscurs and P. spinipinnis may have increased since 1990, however additional research is needed to confirm this trend.

A cultural psychiatric study on tattoos of young Korean males

In 2, 178 tattooed male conscripts in ages of 19-24 years, the most frequent tattoo was a heart mark or a mark of heart and arrow. The Chinese characters which mean "one mind," eagles, dragons, some of 12 zodiacal animals, flowers, and flowers and butterflies or birds were also frequent. The ten Korean symbols of long life and symbols which have been traditionally believed as having evil-repelling powers, for example, blue dragon or white tiger were also found. The frequency of images were different between the provinces with different historical and cultural backgrounds. Data was obtained through interviews with 781 tattooed males. Analysis of the data revealed the following. The prevalence of tattooing was 5.6%. The most prevailing motivation to having tattoos was a contemporary group craze or fashion. Of the 781 tattooed men, 62% had tattoos on their forearms, 34.2% had self-injured scars on their bodies, and 18.6% had criminal convictions. The results of MMPI showed high scores in items of psychopathic deviate and schizophrenia. This suggests that those with tattoos were impulsive, hostile and were prone to delinquent behavior. These results indicate that selection of the image to be tattooed is heavily influenced by inner needs and the cultural background of individuals.

Customizing the Body: The Art and Culture of Tattooing.

Originally published in 1989, this ground-breaking ethnographic exploration of tattooing and the art world surrounding it covers the history, anthropology, and sociology of body modification practices; the occupational experience of the tattooist; the process and social consequences of becoming a tattooed person; and the prospects of serious tattooing becoming an accepted art form. Curiously, despite the greater prevalence of tattoos and body modification in today's society, there is still a stigma of deviance associated with people who get or ink tattoos.Retaining the core of the original book, this revised and expanded edition offers a new preface by the author and a new chapter focusing on the changes that have occurred in the tattoo world. A section on the new scholarly literature that has emerged, as well as the new modes of body modification that have come into vogue, are included along with a new gallery of photographs that show some splendid examples of contemporary tattoo art. A directory of artists' websites invites readers to discover the range of work being done around the world from suits (full body tattoos) to skulls.Words: art body tattoo, art gallery of, art tattoos, body art tattoo, body art tattoos, body tattoos, directory of, gallery of art, gallery tattoo, ink tattoos, new gallery, original ink, tattoo body, tattoo body art, tattoos artAuthor: Sanders, Clinton Publisher: Temple University Press Illustration: N Language: ENG Title: Customizing the Body: The Art and Culture of Tattooing Pages: 00280 (Encrypted PDF) On Sale: 2008-03-28 SKU-13/ISBN: 9781592138876 Category: Art : General