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Physiological Research Dec 2017In recent years, epidemiological data has shown an increasing number of young people who deliberately self-injure. There have also been parallel increases in the number...
In recent years, epidemiological data has shown an increasing number of young people who deliberately self-injure. There have also been parallel increases in the number of people with tattoos and those who voluntarily undergo painful procedures associated with piercing, scarification, and tattooing. People with self-injury behaviors often say that they do not feel the pain. However, there is no information regarding pain perception in those that visit tattoo parlors and piercing studios compared to those who don't. The aim of this study was to compare nociceptive sensitivity in four groups of subjects (n=105, mean age 26 years, 48 women and 57 men) with different motivations to experience pain (i.e., with and without multiple body modifications) in two different situations; (1) in controlled, emotionally neutral conditions, and (2) at a "Hell Party" (HP), an event organized by a piercing and tattoo parlor, with a main event featuring a public demonstration of painful techniques (burn scars, hanging on hooks, etc.). Pain thresholds of the fingers of the hand were measured using a thermal stimulator and mechanical algometer. In HP participants, information about alcohol intake, self-harming behavior, and psychiatric history were used in the analysis as intervening variables. Individuals with body modifications as well as without body modifications had higher thermal pain thresholds at Hell Party, compared to thresholds measured at control neutral conditions. No such differences were found relative to mechanical pain thresholds. Increased pain threshold in all HP participants, irrespectively of body modification, cannot be simply explained by a decrease in the sensory component of pain; instead, we found that the environment significantly influenced the cognitive and affective component of pain.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Body Piercing; Female; Hot Temperature; Humans; Male; Pain Measurement; Pain Threshold; Tattooing; Young Adult
PubMed: 29355376
DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.933804 -
BMC Public Health Feb 2010The awareness of health risks associated with body art among secondary school pupils has never previously been studied in depth. A large sample of secondary school...
BACKGROUND
The awareness of health risks associated with body art among secondary school pupils has never previously been studied in depth. A large sample of secondary school adolescents from the Veneto Region (North East Italy) were investigated in order to inform health education programs.
METHODS
6 public secondary schools from each of the 7 Provinces of the Veneto Region were selected. All students attending the 1st, 3rd, and 5th school years were surveyed by an anonymous self administered questionnaire on their perception of health risks related to body art and other explanatory variables. Logistic regression analysis was employed, reporting adjusted Odds Ratios (OR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI).
RESULTS
Among 4,277 available students (aged 14-22 years), boys were consistently: less knowledgeable of infectious diseases related to body art (OR = 0.78; CI: 0.66, 0.94), less likely to be aware of the hygienic norms to be observed in a body art parlour (OR = 0.54; 0.44, 0.65), less likely to refer to a certified body art parlour (OR = 0.56; 0.48, 0.66), less likely to refer to a professional health care provider for complications related to body art (OR = 0.71; 0.59, 0.86). Students attending the first school year (baseline) had a lesser knowledge of body art related infectious diseases, were less likely to refer to a certified body art parlour, and to know the mandatory hygienic rules to be observed when performing body modifications. Interviewees from the provinces of Rovigo and Vicenza were less likely to be conscious of the health risks associated with body modifications, and those with tattoos were less knowledgeable about the infection risk (OR = 0.60; 0.42, 0.86) and less likely to refer to a professional health care provider in case of medical complication (OR = 0.68;0.48, 0.95). Students with piercings were less likely to refer to a certified practitioner for receiving body art (OR = 0.62; 0.50, 0.77) or therapy for medical complications (OR = 0.37; 0.29, 0.46).
CONCLUSIONS
Health education programs should focus on males, pupils attending lower school years, living in specific Provinces of the Region, and with a positive attitude towards piercing or tattoo.
Topics: Adolescent; Body Piercing; Female; Health Education; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Italy; Logistic Models; Male; Odds Ratio; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tattooing; Young Adult
PubMed: 20163712
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-73 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Jun 2008To estimate the prevalence of body piercing, other than of earlobes, in the general adult population in England, and to describe the distribution of body piercing by age...
OBJECTIVES
To estimate the prevalence of body piercing, other than of earlobes, in the general adult population in England, and to describe the distribution of body piercing by age group, sex, social class, anatomical site, and who performed the piercings. To estimate the proportion of piercings that resulted in complications and the proportion of piercings that resulted in professional help being sought after the piercing.
DESIGN
Cross sectional household survey.
SETTING
All regions of England 2005.
PARTICIPANTS
10,503 adults aged 16 and over identified with a two stage selection process: random selection of geographical areas and filling predefined quotas of individuals. Results weighted to reflect the national demographic profile of adults aged 16 and over.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Estimates of the prevalence of body piercing overall and by age group, sex, and anatomical site. Estimates, in those aged 16-24, of the proportion of piercings associated with complications and the seeking of professional help.
RESULTS
The prevalence of body piercing was 1049/10,503 (10%, 95% confidence interval 9.4% to 10.6%). Body piercing was more common in women than in men and in younger age groups. Nearly half the women aged 16-24 reported having had a piercing (305/659, 46.2%, 42.0% to 50.5%). Of the 754 piercings in those aged 16-24, complications were reported with 233 (31.0%, 26.8% to 35.5%); professional help was sought with 115 (15.2%, 11.8% to 19.5%); and hospital admission was required with seven (0.9%, 0.3% to 3.2%).
CONCLUSIONS
Body piercing is common in adults in England, particularly in young women. Problems are common and the assistance of health services is often required. Though serious complications requiring admission to hospital seem uncommon, the popularity of the practice might place a substantial burden on health services.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Body Piercing; Cross-Sectional Studies; England; Female; Humans; Male; Prevalence
PubMed: 18556275
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.39580.497176.25 -
Canadian Journal of Public Health =... 2006Although body piercing and tattooing seem to be gaining popularity among a diversity of social and age groups, studies of these practices in general adolescent...
BACKGROUND
Although body piercing and tattooing seem to be gaining popularity among a diversity of social and age groups, studies of these practices in general adolescent populations are scarce. This study establishes the prevalence of body modification (tattooing and body piercing) among high school students in grades 7-11 (aged 12 to 18).
METHODS
Data come from a 2002 in-school survey conducted among a representative sample of 2,180 students (81% response rate) enrolled in the 23 high schools of the Outaouais region in Quebec. Systematic sampling was performed. Specific data on tattooing and body piercing are available for 2,145 students (1% non-response rate).
RESULTS
A prevalence of 27% for body piercing and 8% for tattooing is observed among high school students. Differences between girls and boys are observed in many ways: i.e., frequency and number of tattoos or piercings; aftercare practices. While most teens say that a "professional" in a studio performed their body modification and that they received aftercare instruction, a high percentage of students report health complications following the procedure.
CONCLUSION
Results show that tattooing and body piercing are common among adolescents and may involve health risks. Consequently, appropriate preventive measures should be adopted by professionals such as school counsellors, nurses, physicians and others who are in contact with teenagers to help them make informed choices.
Topics: Adolescent; Body Piercing; Child; Data Collection; Female; Humans; Male; Quebec; Tattooing
PubMed: 16967755
DOI: 10.1007/BF03405614 -
BMC Public Health Oct 2011The practice of tattooing and piercing has expanded in western society. In order to verify young adults' knowledge of the risk and practices related to body art, an...
BACKGROUND
The practice of tattooing and piercing has expanded in western society. In order to verify young adults' knowledge of the risk and practices related to body art, an investigation was conducted among freshmen of the University of Bari in the region of Apulia, Italy.
METHODS
The study was carried out in the Academic Year 2009-2010 through an anonymous self-administered written questionnaire distributed to 1.656 freshmen enrolled in 17 Degree Courses.
RESULTS
Of the 1.598 students included in the analysis, 78.3% believe it is risky to undergo piercing/tattoo practices. AIDS was indicated as a possible infection by 60.3% of freshmen, hepatitis C by 38.2%, tetanus by 34.3% and hepatitis B by 33.7% of the sample. 28.1% of freshmen were not aware that there are also non-infectious complications. 29% of the sample had at least one piercing or tattoo (this percentage does not include earlobe piercing in women). Of those with body art, the decision to undergo body art was made autonomously in 57.9% of the participants. 56.3% of freshmen undergoing body art had taken less than a month to decide. With regard to the reasons that led the sample to undergo body art, 28.4% were unable to explain it, 23.8% answered to improve their aesthetic aspect, 18.4% to distinguish themselves from others, 12.3% for fashion; 17.1% for other reasons. 25.4% of the sample declared that they had a piercing (79.8% female vs 20.2% male; ratio M/F 1:4.0). The average age for a first piercing was 15.3 years (range 10-27; SD ± 2.9). 9.6% of the sample declared that they have a tattoo (69.9% female vs 30.1% male; ratio M/F 1:2.3). The average age for a first tattoo was 17.5 years (range 10-26, SD ± 2.4).
CONCLUSIONS
Most of the freshmen knew about AIDS-related risks but not other potential risks. Body art is fairly common among young adults (especially women). The decision is often not shared with the family and is undertaken mostly without a specific reason or for the improvement of aesthetic aspect. Information about freshmen's knowledge, attitudes and practices could help in effective planning of health promotion strategies.
Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Adolescent; Adult; Body Piercing; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Surveys; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Humans; Italy; Male; Middle Aged; Students; Tattooing; Young Adult
PubMed: 21981772
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-11-774 -
Stomatologija 2014OBJECTIVES. The work report about the complications of oral piercing and the role of dentist in their prevention. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The authors conducted a... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES. The work report about the complications of oral piercing and the role of dentist in their prevention. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature through the Medline database by entering "oral piercing", "piercing and complications", "piercing and hygiene" as keywords. Articles published between 1988 and 2012 were considered. RESULTS. Oral piercing is linked to several potential complications. Many of them are due to scarce awareness of the risk, bad habits and inadequate oral care. CONCLUSIONS. The dentist should motivate patients with oral piercing to maintain a good oral care, provide instructions and conduct periodic inspections to secure their understanding and implementation in order to prevent complications.
Topics: Body Piercing; Dentist-Patient Relations; Humans; Motivation; Mouth Diseases; Oral Hygiene; Patient Education as Topic
PubMed: 25471996
DOI: No ID Found -
Communicable Diseases Intelligence... Apr 2001Tattooing and body piercing are now worldwide fashion crazes. The health risks associated with these procedures are as yet unclear. This article examines the prevalence...
Tattooing and body piercing are now worldwide fashion crazes. The health risks associated with these procedures are as yet unclear. This article examines the prevalence of body decoration and the associated health risks within the Australian population using a random sample survey of individuals aged 14 years and over, collected between June and September 1998 (n = 10,030). The results show that one in 10 people have had a tattoo at some point in their lives and 8 per cent some form of body piercing, excluding ear piercing. Men are more likely than women to report tattooing, while females are more likely to report body and ear piercing. Some 10 per cent of respondents report drinking alcohol or using other drugs when the procedures were undertaken. The prevalence of tattooing and body piercing is considerably higher among injecting drug users. Although the rates of transmission of bloodborne disease due to body decoration are believed to be low, the strong association with youth and with injecting drug use suggests considerable potential for transmission.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Australia; Blood-Borne Pathogens; Cosmetic Techniques; Ear; Female; Humans; Male; Prevalence; Punctures; Risk Factors; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Tattooing
PubMed: 11432531
DOI: No ID Found -
The New Phytologist Nov 2021Insect fluid-feeding on fossil vascular plants is an inconspicuous and underappreciated mode of herbivory that can provide novel data on the evolution of deep-time...
Insect fluid-feeding on fossil vascular plants is an inconspicuous and underappreciated mode of herbivory that can provide novel data on the evolution of deep-time ecological associations and indicate the host-plant preferences of ancient insect herbivores. Previous fossil studies have documented piercing-and-sucking herbivory but often are unable to identify culprit insect taxa. One line of evidence are punctures and scale-insect impression marks made by piercing-and-sucking insects that occasionally provide clues to the systematic identities and relationships of particular insect herbivores. We report here the earliest occurrences of piercing and sucking on early angiosperms as evidenced by scale insect covers, impression marks, punctures and body fossils - notably a mealybug - from the Lower Cretaceous Rose Creek Flora of the Dakota Formation (c. 103 Ma), in southeastern Nebraska, USA. The mealybug, two other scale insect taxa, and several distinctive damage types on laurel leaves and seed-plant stems at Rose Creek document a diverse guild of piercing-and-sucking insects on early angiosperms. The discovery of an Early Cretaceous female mealybug indicates an early herbivorous association with a laurel host. These data provide direct evidence for co-associations and possible coevolution of scale insects and their plant hosts during early angiosperm diversification.
Topics: Animals; Biological Evolution; Fossils; Hemiptera; Herbivory; Insecta; Magnoliopsida
PubMed: 34379798
DOI: 10.1111/nph.17672 -
Oman Medical Journal Jul 2021Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major public health problem worldwide. The prevalence of HBV is dependent on the modes of transmission. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection...
OBJECTIVES
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major public health problem worldwide. The prevalence of HBV is dependent on the modes of transmission. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection can progress to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Oman is regarded as an intermediate endemic region and has had a neonatal vaccine against HBV since 1990. However, little research has been conducted regarding risk factors for HBV transmission. Our study aimed to identify the prevalence of major risk factors for acquiring HBV in Oman.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective chart review of all adult Omani patients diagnosed with CHB at two tertiary hospitals in Oman, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital and Armed Forces Hospital, between February 2009 and July 2013. The prevalence of major risk factors was identified by interviewing CHB patients using a standard questionnaire during their follow-up visits to the hepatology clinic at both hospitals. The risk factor frequency was stratified by age, gender, and educational level.
RESULTS
A total of 274 patients were interviewed; 52.2% of the participants were males. The median age for men was 35.9 years and 35.1 years for women, with 75.5% aged 20-39 years old. The antenatal screening was the most common means of identifying HBV infection in females, and pre-blood donation screening was the most common in males. Intra-familial contact with HBV infected persons and behavioral risks such as body piercing (females) and barber shaving (males) were more common than nosocomial risk factors. Knowledge about HBV infection was scarce among our participants. More than half of the participants had a positive family history of HBV infection. There was a significant association between HBV infection and age groups, and educational levels (p < 0.050 and p < 0.001, respectively). Among those who were infected due to intra-familial contact or behavioral risk, there was a significant difference between the two sexes (p < 0.020) and between the three age groups (< 23, 23-28, >28) of HBV positive mothers (33.3%, 14.3%, and 6.6%, respectively; p < 0.050). There was also a statistically significant difference among different educational levels (p < 0.050).
CONCLUSIONS
Direct contact of infected individuals within a family and exposure to high-risk behaviors such as piercing and barber shaving are the main reported risk factors for HBV infection in Omani patients. Reducing the vertical and horizontal transmission of HBV in Oman could be improved by implementing routine antenatal screening of pregnant women and a greater focus on contact screening, respectively.
PubMed: 34405055
DOI: 10.5001/omj.2021.99 -
World Journal of Hepatology Mar 2015Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a potent human pathogen and is one of the main causes of chronic hepatitis round the world. The present review describes the evidence-based... (Review)
Review
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a potent human pathogen and is one of the main causes of chronic hepatitis round the world. The present review describes the evidence-based consensus on the diagnosis, prevention and management of HCV disease. Various techniques, for the detection of anti-HCV immunoglobulin G immunoassays, detection of HCV RNA by identifying virus-specific molecules nucleic acid testings, recognition of core antigen for diagnosis of HCV, quantitative antigen assay, have been used to detect HCV RNA and core antigen. Advanced technologies such as nanoparticle-based diagnostic assays, loop-mediated isothermal amplification and aptamers and Ortho trak-C assay have also come to the front that provides best detection results with greater ease and specificity for detection of HCV. It is of immense importance to prevent this infection especially among the sexual partners, injecting drug users, mother-to-infant transmission of HCV, household contact, healthcare workers and people who get tattoos and piercing on their skin. Management of this infection is intended to eradicate it out of the body of patients. Management includes examining the treatment (efficacy and protection), assessment of hepatic condition before commencing therapy, controlling the parameters upon which dual and triple therapies work, monitoring the body after treatment and adjusting the co-factors. Examining the treatment in some special groups of people (HIV/HCV co-infected, hemodialysis patients, renal transplanted patients).
PubMed: 25848486
DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v7.i3.616