Assessing Undergraduates’ Perception of Risks Related to Body Art in Italy: The SUPeRBA Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Carmela Protano, Federica Valeriani, Daniela Marotta, Annalisa Bargellini, Aida Bianco, Giuseppina Caggiano, Maria Eugenia Colucci, Maria Anna Coniglio, Laura Dallolio, Osvalda De Giglio, Gabriella Di Giuseppe, Pasqualina Laganà, Francesca Licata, Giorgio Liguori, Isabella Marchesi, Sofia Marini, Maria Teresa Montagna, Christian Napoli, Christian Napoli, Giovanni Battista Orsi, Cesira Pasquarella, Concetta Paola Pelullo, Vincenzo Romano Spica, Rossella Sacchetti, Stefano Tardivo, Licia Veronesi, Matteo Vitali and Francesca Gallè
Additional contact information
Carmela Protano: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Federica Valeriani: Department of Movement, Human, and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy
Daniela Marotta: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Annalisa Bargellini: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Aida Bianco: Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Græcia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Giuseppina Caggiano: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy
Maria Eugenia Colucci: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43125 Parma, Italy
Maria Anna Coniglio: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “G.F. Ingrassia”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Laura Dallolio: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Osvalda De Giglio: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy
Gabriella Di Giuseppe: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Pasqualina Laganà: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
Francesca Licata: Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Græcia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Giorgio Liguori: Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy
Isabella Marchesi: Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
Sofia Marini: Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Maria Teresa Montagna: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy
Christian Napoli: Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy
Christian Napoli: Department of Computer Control and Management Engineering “Antonio Ruberti”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Giovanni Battista Orsi: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Cesira Pasquarella: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43125 Parma, Italy
Concetta Paola Pelullo: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Vincenzo Romano Spica: Department of Movement, Human, and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy
Rossella Sacchetti: Department of Education Studies “Giovanni Maria Bertin”, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Stefano Tardivo: Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
Licia Veronesi: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43125 Parma, Italy
Matteo Vitali: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Francesca Gallè: Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-12

Abstract: Tattooing and piercing may lead to health complications. The present multicenter cross-sectional study aimed to assess awareness and knowledge of health risks related to body art and to identify their possible determinants among a large sample of undergraduates in Italy. A web-based questionnaire collecting information on socio-demographic characteristics, awareness, knowledge, and some potential predictors was administered to undergraduates attending twelve Italian universities. The level of knowledge was expressed as the number of correct answers (0–11 for tattooing, 0–14 for piercing). A total of 2985 participants (mean age 23.15 ± 3.99, 73.9% F) participated in the study. Although 95.4% of the respondents were aware of possible health consequences of body art, a low level of specific knowledge was registered for both tattooing (mean number of correct answers 5.38 ± 2.39) and piercing (5.93 ± 3.12) consequences. Lower knowledge was associated with the attendance of non-life science course and with lower duration of academic education for both tattoo and piercing. Lower knowledge of tattooing risks was related with commuter status, while lower knowledge of piercing risks was associated with lower father’s education. These findings highlight the need to enhance information campaigns targeted to youths to increase their awareness of possible health risk of body art.

Keywords: body art; piercing; tattooing; undergraduates; health; complications; knowledge; awareness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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