This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Carroll, S. T.
Right arrow Articles by Myhre, E. B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Carroll, S. T.
Right arrow Articles by Myhre, E. B.
Related Collections
Right arrow Adolescent Medicine
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

PEDIATRICS Vol. 109 No. 6 June 2002, pp. 1021-1027

Tattoos and Body Piercings as Indicators of Adolescent Risk-Taking Behaviors

Sean T. Carroll, MD*, Robert H. Riffenburgh, PhD{ddagger}, Timothy A. Roberts, MD* and Elizabeth B. Myhre, CPNP, MSN*

* Adolescent Medicine Division, Department of Pediatrics, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California
{ddagger} Clinical Investigation Department, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California

--> Purpose. This study assessed tattoos and body piercings as markers of risk-taking behaviors in adolescents.

Methods. A 58-question survey, based on the 1997 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey, was offered to all adolescent beneficiaries that came to the Adolescent Clinic. The survey contained standard Youth Risk Behavior Survey questions that inquire about eating behavior, violence, drug abuse, sexual behavior, and suicide. Questions about tattoos and body piercings were added for the purposes of this study.

Results. Participants with tattoos and/or body piercings were more likely to have engaged in risk-taking behaviors and at greater degrees of involvement than those without either. These included disordered eating behavior, gateway drug use, hard drug use, sexual activity, and suicide. Violence was associated with males having tattoos and with females having body piercings. Gateway drug use was associated with younger age of both tattooing and body piercing. Hard drug use was associated with number of body piercings. Suicide was associated with females having tattoos and younger age of both tattooing and body piercing. Tattoos and body piercings were found to be more common in females than males.

Conclusions. Tattoos and/or body piercings can alert practitioners to the possibility of other risk-taking behaviors in adolescents, leading to preventive measures, including counseling. Tattoo and body piercing discovery should be an important part of a health maintenance visit to best direct adolescent medical care.

Key Words: adolescent • tattoo • body piercing • body modification • Youth Risk Behavior Survey • risk-taking behavior • gateway drugs • sexual intercourse • violent behavior • suicide

Abbreviations: T/P, tattoo and/or body piercing

Received for publication Jul 9, 2001; Accepted Jan 8, 2002.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Health Educ ResHome page
J. Thurnherr, P.-A. Michaud, A. Berchtold, C. Akre, and J.-C. Suris
Youths carrying a weapon or using a weapon in a fight: what makes the difference?
Health Educ. Res., April 1, 2009; 24(2): 270 - 279.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 BMJHome page
A. Bone, F. Ncube, T. Nichols, and N. D Noah
Body piercing in England: a survey of piercing at sites other than earlobe
BMJ, June 21, 2008; 336(7658): 1426 - 1428.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Clin Nurs ResHome page
M. L. Armstrong, A. E. Roberts, J. R. Koch, J. C. Saunders, and D. C. Owen
Investigating the Removal of Body Piercings
Clin Nurs Res, May 1, 2007; 16(2): 103 - 118.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
E. G. Romero, L. A. Teplin, G. M. McClelland, K. M. Abram, L. J. Welty, and J. J. Washburn
A Longitudinal Study of the Prevalence, Development, and Persistence of HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infection Risk Behaviors in Delinquent Youth: Implications for Health Care in the Community
Pediatrics, May 1, 2007; 119(5): e1126 - e1141.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
Committee on Pediatric AIDS
Reducing the Risk of HIV Infection Associated With Illicit Drug Use
Pediatrics, February 1, 2006; 117(2): 566 - 571.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Health PsycholHome page
C. Huxley and S. Grogan
Tattooing, Piercing, Healthy Behaviours and Health Value
J Health Psychol, December 1, 2005; 10(6): 831 - 841.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
L. B. Mayers, B. W. Moriarty, D. A. Judelson, K. W. Rundell, and S. T. Carroll
Tattooing and Body Piercing
Pediatrics, May 1, 2003; 111(5): 1126 - 1126.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
T. A. Roberts and S. A. Ryan
Tattooing and High-Risk Behavior in Adolescents
Pediatrics, December 1, 2002; 110(6): 1058 - 1063.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JWatch PediatricsHome page
Tattoos, Body Piercing, and Risk-Taking Behaviors: Implications for "Decorated" Adolescents!
Journal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, July 29, 2002; 2002(729): 6 - 6.
[Full Text]