Socio-Demographic and Professional Characterization of a Representative Sample of Portuguese Tattoo Artists

Abstract

Goals : Over time, t attooing has been better accepted and is now more prevalent. Consequently, the number of establishments and professionals increased. Methodology : This is an Exploratory/Observational/Analytical/ Cross-sectional s tudy. An online voluntary questionnaire was prepared on the Google Forms tool and made available between April 2020/March 2021, with single/multiple choice/short answer questions. Responses from individuals who practiced Tattooing in Portugal and who mastered the Portuguese language were considered. For the statistical analysis, non-parametric tests were predominantly used. The research project was approved by a n Ethics Committee and informed consent was obtained. Results and Discussion : 207 questionnaires were processed (26% of the population of Tattoo Artists registered in Portugal); the female represented one third of the answers. 42.0% of Tattoo Artists didn’t undergo training before exercising. Most work exclusively (60.9%) and have their own establishment (72%); those who work for others are more likely to have a second professional activity ( p = 0.046). All that work at home reported having another professional activity ( p < 0.001). From the 39.1% having another profession, Tattooing appears (69.1%) as the main occupation. Those who choose Tattooing as their main activity practice the profession in their own establishment ( p = 0.042). Everyone recognizes the risks; the most valued were Forced/Maintained Postures/Repetitive Movements; but also Noise, old machinery and/or Monotonous/Isolated Work. No published articles were found with data regarding the correlation between socio-professional characteristics and self-perception of Occupational Risk, that allowed a formal discussion. Conclusions : The perception of professional risks increases with Professional Experience, especially when semiology arises. It would be important to have an entity that determines what training is necessary to exercise and to create Norms, and with the capacity to allow access to the labour market. If we explore how each Tattoo Artist perceives risk, it is likely that the Occupational Physician and Safety Technician will be more effective.