title: Body art practices and health risks: young adults' knowledge in two regions of southern Italy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the past several decades the number of individuals, particularly young adults, acquiring body art has increased very seriously in occidental society. In order to verify young adults' practices and knowledge of the risks related to body art, an investigation was conducted among university freshmen in Bari (Apulia Region) and Naples (Campania Region), both in Southern Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out during the period 2008-2010 through an anonymous questionnaire distributed to 3,868 people selected among 26 Degree Courses of the University of Bari and Naples Parthenope. The two regional samples were matched for age and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the whole, 84.4% declare to know the infectious risks associated with body art practices, but only 4.1% of them correctly identified the infectious diseases which can be transmitted through these procedures; while 59.2% of the sample declared that non-infectious diseases can occur after a tattoo or a piercing, but only 5.4% of them correctly identified allergies, cysts, bleeding and scars. The possible occurrence of infectious and non-infectious diseases has been acknowledged by most students in Apulia region (89.7 versus 79.1% and 64.8 versus 53.6% respectively). In this Region, of the 1,001 (32.4%) pierced and 597 (19.8%) tattooed youths 23.4% reported complications. Campania region youths reported a greater number of complications than Apulia did (30.3 versus 13.1%) and they also purchased more frequently their tattoos or piercings in unauthorized facilities (35.3% versus 15.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With regard to the knowledge of health risks associated to body art, it has been registered a higher awareness of infectious than non-infectious diseases. Information about freshmen's knowledge and practices could help in effective planning of health promotion strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Institutions and Territorial Systems Studies, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gallè
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quaranta
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Onofrio
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alfano
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Montagna
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liguori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D046288:Body Piercing / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013653:Tattooing / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult