title: Promoting informed decision-making about tattooing for adolescents.
abstract: In the February issue, the authors identified tattooing as an adolescent at-risk behavior, summarizing adverse purchase and possession factors as well as potential health threats of blood-borne disease. This information stems from a study of adolescents in five suburban high schools and one large urban school district in Texas. Promoting self-identity seems to be the key motivation for the tattooing. Investigating specific risk-taking behaviors of adolescents is important in order to create applicable health-promotion strategies. This article summarizes the development of a health education brochure, which was created on the basis of a review of the literature, an analysis of data, and field testing of the product. The purpose of the health information is to emphasize potential risks, pose definite questions and actions to minimize the risks, and encourage reconsideration or postponement of tattoo decisions.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McConnell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013653:Tattooing / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology