Donna C. Owen

Body art, deviance, and American college students

Abstract This research examines the relationship between body art (tattoos and piercings) and deviance. With the increasing mainstream presence of visible tattoos and piercings among entertainers, athletes, and even in corporate boardrooms, we wonder the extent to which long-time enthusiasts and collectors regard the phenomenon as encroachment. We use sub-cultural identity theory to propose that individuals with increasing evidence of body art procurement will also report higher levels of deviant behavior in order to maintain and/or increase social distance from the mainstream. We tested this proposition by surveying 1753 American college students, asking them to report their level of body art acquisition and their history of deviance. Results indicate that respondents with four or more tattoos, seven or more body piercings, or piercings located in their nipples or genitals, were substantively and significantly more likely to report regular marijuana use, occasional use of other illegal drugs, and a history of being arrested for a crime. Less pronounced, but still significant in many cases, was an increased propensity for those with higher incidence of body art to cheat on college work, binge drink, and report having had multiple sex partners in the course of their lifetime.

Factors Affecting Electronic Health Record Adoption in Long‐Term Care Facilities

&NA; Electronic health records (EHRs) hold the potential to significantly improve the quality of care in long‐term care (LTC) facilities, yet limited research has been done on how facilities decide to adopt these records. This study was conducted to identify factors that hinder and facilitate EHR adoption in LTC facilities. Study participants were LTC nurses, administrators, and corporate executives. Primary barriers identified were costs, the need for training, and the culture change required to embrace technology. Primary facilitators were training programs, well‐defined implementation plans, government assistance with implementation costs, evidence that EHRs will improve care outcomes, and support from state regulatory agencies. These results offer a framework of action for policy makers, LTC leaders, and researchers.

Motivation for Contemporary Tattoo Removal A Shift in Identity

OBJECTIVE To compare the results of a 1996 study of tattoo possession and motivation for tattoo removal with those of a 2006 study, in light of todays current strong mainstream tattoo procurement and societal support within the young adult population. DESIGN Descriptive, exploratory study. SETTING Four dermatology clinics in Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Texas. PARTICIPANTS The 2006 study included 196 tattooed patients (66 men and 130 women). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Incidence of purchase and possession risk, as measured by a 127-item survey and factor analysis. RESULTS In contrast to the 1996 study, more women (69%) than men (31%) presented for tattoo removal in 2006. Women in the 2006 study were white, single, college educated, and between the ages of 24 and 39 years; they reported being risk takers, having stable family relationships, and moderate to strong religious beliefs (prayer and closeness to God). Commonly, tattoos were obtained at approximately 20 years of age, providing internal expectations of uniqueness and self-identity. Tattoo possession risks were significant, cited when the quest for uniqueness turned into stigmata (P < .001), negative comments (P < .003), and clothes problems (P < .004). CONCLUSIONS In both the 1996 and the 2006 studies, a shift in identity occurred, and removal centered around dissociating from the past. However, in the 2006 study, more women than men were notably affected by possession risks. Societal support for women with tattoos may not be as strong as for men. Rather than having visible tattoos, women may still want to choose self-controlled body site placement, even in our contemporary society.

The 20 Item Oral Mucositis Index: Reliability and Validity in Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Patients

Precise quantification of oral complications in cancer patients receiving bone marrow and stem cell transplantation is essential when testing new treatment strategies for mucositis. Using 133 adult transplant patients, the authors evaluated the 20 item oral mucositis index (OMI), adapted from the 34 item OMI, to facilitate use by nondental health professionals. The OMI-20 consists of nine items measuring erythema, nine measuring ulceration, one measuring atrophy, and one measuring edema; all are scored from 0=none to 3=severe and summed for a total possible score of 0–60. The two sets of nine items measuring erythema and ulceration can also be summed separately to produce subscale scores ranging from 0 to 27. Results demonstrated internal consistency, test–retest, and inter-rater reliability, and strong evidence of construct validity. Provided that clinical examiners have appropriate training and experience, the OMI-20 can be used as a reliable, valid, and quantifiable measure of mucositis in clinical research.

COLLEGE STUDENTS, TATTOOS, AND SEXUAL ACTIVITY

This research examined the association of having a tattoo and engaging in premarital sexual intercourse. Data gathered from a convenience sample of 450 college students indicated that tattooed respondents were substantively and significantly more likely to be sexually active than nontattooed college students. Tattooed men became sexually active at a significantly earlier age than nontattooed men but no such difference was found between tattooed and nontattooed college women.

College students and tattoos: Influence of image, identity, family, and friends

Tattoos are popular among many groups of people. College students from a large university in the southwestern United States were queried using the 134-item Armstrong Team Tattoo Attitude Survey. Findings documents a progressive increase in tattooing and reflect significant support for tattoos, even from non-tattooed students. Similar and positive demographic characteristics were present in individuals who were both non-tattooed and tattooed. In addition, tattooed people were viewed positively, even among non-tattooed respondents. Friends significantly affected procurement and possession of tattoos, whereas of all family members, the sister was the only significant influence. Overall, friends, identity, and image seem to be the major influences for obtaining tattoos.

Health disparities among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) group is the fastest-growing minority group in the United States. AAPIs have been touted in the literature as the “model minority” because of their achievements in the socioeconomic and educational spheres, which in certain categories are beyond the average levels of the dominant majority. However, generalizations such as these are very misleading, because they mask the glaring health disparities that are experienced by subgroups within the AAPI population. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the literature dealing with health disparities among AAPIs. Twenty-eight usable research reports were reviewed after a thorough review of the literature that spanned the years between 1990 and 2003. The review has revealed that the predominant psychosocial and cultural variables studied in research dealing with AAPI are acculturation, family and social networks, help-seeking behaviors, and cultural brokering. In general, research conducted on this group tended to be at the descriptive and comparative-correlational levels; more studies that investigate the effects of interventions to reduce or eliminate health disparities on this group are needed. The challenge is to build a body of knowledge on which to base future action.

Health Behaviors of Low-Income Pregnant Minority Women

Preventive and health promoting behaviors in pregnant minority women can be used to develop approaches to encourage healthy lifestyle and optimal utilization of health services, and to obtain better outcomes of pregnancy. Using the Health Promotion Model as a theoretical framework, this study employed a cross-sectional survey design to investigate factors that related to health behaviors of low-income pregnant Mexican American and African American women in selected sites in the southeast portion of the state of Texas. Results showed that Mexican American women had a significantly higher mean on the Powerful Others Locus of Control measure than the African American women. For African American subjects, the strongest effect was exerted by the social support variable, which had a negative effect on the health behavior variable. Findings suggest that more studies are needed to identify specific determinants of health promoting activities during pregnancy in ethnic minority groups. Designing programs that would motivate early involvement of low-income pregnant minority women in health care should be a top priority for professionals in maternity practice.

College Students, Tattooing, And The Health Belief Model: Extending Social Psychological Perspectives On Youth Culture And Deviance

ABSTRACT This research extends social psychological models which have previously been used to explain tattooing behavior. We apply the Health Belief Model to the decision-making process by which young adults express interest in or obtain a tattoo. We examine the five components of the Health Belief Model with regard to the likelihood of being tattooed, being interested in tattoos, or obtaining a (or another) tattoo. Survey data were gathered from 520 undergraduate students at a large, public university in the southwest. Their responses show the Health Belief Model to be a significant predictor of this behavior among the students in our sample.

Frequencies and Relations of Body Piercing and Sexual Experience in College Students

This research examined the relation between having a body piercing and having engaged in premarital sexual intercourse. Data were gathered from a convenience sample of 450 college students. 72% were women; 85% were ages 18 to 22 years (M = 20.9, SD = 4.5), 80% were Euro-American. Women with piercings reported substantively and significantly greater frequency of sexual activity than college students without piercings. There were no significant differences in sexual experience between men with piercings and those without. These findings differ from previous research comparing the sexual activity of college students with and without tattoos.