Tattoo Practice Among Students in Babylon University

Abstract

BACKGROUND:Tattoo is the introduction of colored ink into the skin, and considered a form of body art for centuries.Its prevalence is rising among adolescents and young adults, mainly in western societies despitebeing linked to certain health risks.AIM OF THE STUDY:To assess the characteristics of tattoo practice among college students, and to highlight its associationwith certain characteristics of the students.METHODS:The study is a cross-sectional study conducted on college students in Babylon University fromJanuary 2019 through June 2019. Data were collected using an anonymous self-administeredquestionnaire based on Armstrong Team Tattoo Attitude Survey (ATTAS).RESULTS:The study included (1932) students with a mean age of (21.05 ± 1.69) years, majority being females(70.3%). Tattoo practice was present in (8.3%) of them, with significantly higher proportion amongmales (P<0.001). Tattoo was significantly more prevalent among students with tattooed familymembers and friends (P<0.001), odds ratio=3.09 for family members with tattoos and 5.19 for friendswith tattoo.CONCLUSION:The study demonstrated the significant role of friends and families in the practice of tattoos, withfriends having the highest role. Majority of students performed their first tattoo before college.

Keywords

tattoo, college, students