Abstract
OBJECTIVES: a) To determine the prevalence of adolescents with tattoos visiting our Unit; b) To look for behavioral patterns in this population; c) To determine the prevalence of regret attitudes because of the tattoo. METHODS: Case-control study. An anonymous survey was given to adolescents with and without tattoos (control group), matched by age and gender. The following areas were assessed: age, gender, parent occupation, school attendance, drugs use, sexual activity, presence of close tattooed people (friends, family), and beliefs about tattoos and health. Number of tattoos, location, complications, aseptic technique, regret feelings, and discrimination because of the tattoo were assessed in tattooed adolescents. Statistics: categorical variables were assessed by the chi square test; Odds ratios and 95% CI were estimated. Numerical variables were assessed by the Student′s t- or the Wilcoxon test. A logistic regression model was developed for significant variables. RESULTS: From a total of 852 adolescents, 54 had tattoos (6.3% prevalence; 95% CI 4.6%–8%). Surveys were given to the 54 tattooed adolescents and to 108 adolescents without tattoos. Significant associations were found in the tattooed group with: delayed school grade (p<0.001, OR 5.5), tobacco use (p<0.001, OR 7.08), number of alcohol intoxications over the last year (p<0.001), sexual activity (p<0.001, OR 4.3), number of sexual partners (p<0.03), tattoos in people who cohabit with them (p<0.03, OR 3.8), intention of having a tattoo (p<0.001, OR 11.45). On the multivariate analysis, the variables associated with having a tattoo were: delayed school grade, tobacco use, sexual activity and beliefs of reversibility. In the tattooed group, 98.1% assured an aseptic technique was used. No adolescent was regretful for having being tattooed. 11.5% felt discriminated at least once because of the tattoo. CONCLUSIONS: There was association between tattooed adolescents and some behavioral patterns: delayed school grade, tobacco use, sexual activity, and beliefs of reversibility.
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Busaniche, J., Eymann, A., Mülli, V. et al. Behavioral Patterns in Adolescents with Tattoos. Pediatr Res 53, 870 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200305000-00039
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200305000-00039