Tattooing among Iranian prisoners: results of the two national biobehavioral surveillance surveys in 2015-2016

Abstract Background: Tattooing is among identified risk factor for blood-borne diseases. Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of tattooing during lifetime and in prisons and its related factors among Iranian prisoners. Methods: This 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. Results: Out 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 limitations: Information and selection bias was one of the study limitations. Conclusion: The 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.

Tattoos on 18-year-old male adolescents - Characteristics and associated factors / Tatuagens em Adolescentes Masculinos de 18 anos - Caracteristicas e fatores associados

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of tattoos is around 10-26% in men and 10-22% in women, and can involve negative effects such as: regret, removal attempts, physical and biological changes of the skin and association with some viral diseases. OBJECTIVE: to determine the prevalence, characteristics and factors associated with tattoos in recruiters joining the military. METHODS: the recruiters were examined by dermatologists that documented the presence or absence of tattoos, as well as their sizes, colors, designs and patterns, and whether they needed a parent's consent to get a tattoo. RESULTS: 1,968 recruiters were examined and the prevalence of tattoos was 10.82% (213), 141 (66.20%) had a single tattoo, 44 (20.66%) two tattoos, 15 (7.04%) three tattoos, 9 (4.23%) four tattoos, and 4 (1.88%) had more than four. Of the total sample, 168 (80.77%) reported getting the first tattoo before the age of 18. 158 (74.53%) were monochromatic. In relation to size, 108 (50.70%) had tattoos of up to 10 cm, 75 (35.21%) had tattoos measuring between 11-20cm, while 30 had ones over 21cm (14.09%). CONCLUSIONS: The population studied had a high prevalence of tattoos for their age, the percentage of complex (large and polychromatic) tattoos was also high. .

FUNDAMENTOS: Estima-se que a prevalência de tatuagens seja por volta de 10-26% em homens e 10-22% em mulheres, e estas trazem como consequência desdobramentos como: arrependimento, tentativas de remoção, alterações físicas e biológicas da pele e associação com soro positividade para doenças virais. OBJETIVOS: determinar a prevalência, características e fatores associados a tatuagens em alistandos do exército. MÉTODOS: Os alistandos foram entrevistados e examinados por dermatologistas, os quais anotaram a presença ou não de tatuagem , seus tamanhos, suas cores, padrões de desenhos e se havia permissão dos responsáveis para sua execução. RESULTADOS: Foram examinados 1.968 alistandos e a prevalência de tatuagens foi de 10,82% (213), 141 (66,20%) tinham tatuagem única, 44 (20,66%) tinham duas tatuagens, 15 (7,04%) tinham três tatuagens, 9 (4,23%) tinham quatro tatuagens e 4 (1,88%) tinham mais que quatro tatuagens; 168 (80.77%) informaram ter feito a primeira tatuagem antes de completar 18 anos de idade. 158 (74,53%) eram monocromáticas. Em relação ao tamanho no seu maior eixo temos que 108 (50,70%) tinham tatuagens com até 10 cm, 75 (35,21%) tinham entre 11 e 20 cm e com mais de 21 centimetros 30 (14,09%). CONCLUSÕES: a população estudada apresenta uma prevalência alta de tatuagens para a idade, e o percentual de tatuagens complexas (grandes e policromáticas) também é alto. .

Asociación entre tatuajes, perforaciones y conductas de riesgo en adolescentes / Association between tattoos, piercings and risk behaviors in adolescents

Background: The use of tattoos and piercings has increased, especially among adolescents in the last decades. Aim: 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. Material and Methods: 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). Results: 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). Conclusions: This study confirms that tattoos and piercings are indicators of adolescent risk behaviors.

The Epidemiology of Cosmetic Treatments for Corneal Opacities in a Korean Population

PURPOSE: To describe etiologies and clinical characteristics of corneal opacities leading patients to seek cosmetic treatments. METHODS: The medical records of 401 patients who presented for cosmetic improvement in corneal opacities between May 2004 and July 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. The following parameters were analyzed: age, gender, cause of corneal opacity, time course of the corneal disease, associated diseases, prior and current cosmetic treatments, visual acuity, location and depth of the corneal opacity, and the presence of either corneal neovascularization or band keratopathy. A single practitioner examined all patients. RESULTS: The most common causes of corneal opacity were ocular trauma (203 eyes, 50.6%), retinal disease (62 eyes, 15.5%), measles (38 eyes, 9.5%), and congenital etiologies (22 eyes, 5.5%). Prior treatments included iris colored contact lenses (125 eyes, 31.1%) and corneal tattooing (34 eyes, 8.46%). A total of 321 of 401 eyes underwent cosmetic treatment for corneal opacities. The most common treatment performed after the primary visit was corneal tattooing (261 eyes, 64.92%). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to investigate the causes and clinical characteristics of patients presenting for cosmetic treatment of corneal opacities rather than for functional improvement. Various cosmetic interventions are available for patients with corneal opacities, and these should be individualized for the needs of each patient.

Piercing en un grupo de población escolar santiaguina / Piercing in a group of Santiago school population

Se entiende por piercing o perforación la decoración corporal con anillos, pendientes u otros adornos en lugares poco usuales. Existen múltiples antecedentes históricos que establecen que la realización de perforaciones es una práctica tan antigua como la existencia humana. En Chile no hay estadísticas que nos permitan determinar que ocurre en nuestra población. El objetivo de nuestro trabajo fue conocer, describir y caracterizar la realidad del fenómeno piercing en una población de escolares de enseñanza media de la Región Metropolitana, mediante una encuesta, la cual fue realizada en el período comprendido entre los meses de junio a noviembre del año 2002 a 962 estudiantes con el fin de caracterizar al usuario de piercing en la población antes descrita.

El tatuaje como factor de riesgo para la transmisión de la infección por el virus de la hepatitis C / The tattooing practice how risk factors for the hepatitis C

Para investigar el tatuaje corporal como factor de riesgo para la hepatitis C, se tomaron muestras de sangre a 88 miembros del personal de la Armada Venezolana, destacados en la base naval "Agustin Armario" en Puerto Cabello. De este personal 76 presentaban tatuajes, 11 de ellos resultaron positivos para el VHC, y dos tenían factores de riesgo conocidos, de los nueve positivos restantes (17,30 por ciento) el único factor de riesgo encontrado fue el tatuaje. Concluimos que la práctica de el tatuaje corporal es un factor de riesgo para la infección por el VHC

Dermopigmentación en leucodermias / Dermopigmentation in leucodermas

Dentro de las discromías cutáneas que han sido tratadas mediante dermopigmentación o tatuaje, las leucodermias son las que se han visto más beneficiadas por esta terapéutica. Es condición indispensable para su indicación que la acromía sea definitiva o haya permanecido estable durante años. En el presente trabajo se muestra la utilidad del método respecto a la leucodermia punctata et reticularis de Matsumoto y se discuten diversos aspectos técnicos de la dermopigmentación