
==== Front
Res Sq
ResearchSquare
Research Square
2693-5015
American Journal Experts

10.21203/rs.3.rs-4838597/v1
10.21203/rs.3.rs-4838597
preprint
1
Article
Associations of demographic, health, and risk-taking behaviors with tattooing in a population-based cross-sectional study of ~18,000 US adults
McCarty Rachel D
Trabert Britton
Millar Morgan M
Kriebel David
Grieshober Laurie
Barnard Mollie E
Collin Lindsay J
Lawson-Michod Katherine A
Gibson Brody
Gilreath Jeffrey A
Shami Paul J
Doherty Jennifer A
28 8 2024
rs.3.rs-4838597https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator. The license allows for commercial use.
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4838597/v1
nihpp-rs4838597v1.pdf
Abstract

Background Little is known about current characteristics of individuals with tattoos. We quantified the prevalence of tattooing and associations of demographic, health, and risk-behavior factors with tattooing. Methods We computed adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) of tattooing in a population-based analysis of > 18,000 Utah adults from the 2020–2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. Results The prevalence of tattooing was 26% among women and 22% among men, with the highest prevalence among women ages 25–29 (45%). Tattoo prevalence was higher among younger individuals, individuals with a lower education level, and those without religious affiliation. Tattoo prevalence was higher among indviduals with current tobacco (women: PR = 2.89 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.60, 3.20]; men: 3.39 [2.98, 3.86]), e-cigarette (women: 2.44 [2.21, 2.69]; men: 2.64 [2.37, 2.94]), and heavy alcohol use (women: 2.16 [1.93, 2.43]; men: 1.89 [1.63, 2.19]). Tattoo prevalence was lower among individuals receiving a flu (women: 0.84 [0.76, 0.92]; men: 0.75 [0.67, 0.84]) or COVID-19 vaccine (women: 0.65 [0.54, 0.79]; men: 0.75 [0.61, 0.92]). Conclusions Several risk-taking behaviors were associated with tattooing. Tattoo studios/conventions may present opportunities for partnership with tobacco cessation, alcohol reduction, and vaccination public health initiatives.
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