Anthropological Study of Somatic Symptoms in Tattooed Individuals

Abstract

Introduction: Tattoo is expected to alter the new wearer's perception of the individual's identity. For the same reason, tattoos seem to have the ability to have a greater impact on one's self, with minimal variations and majority potentially affected identity. Aims: Examine the tattoos along with the level of somatic symptoms with life's various dimensions. Methodology: The study was conducted in the student community studying in professional colleges. The study was conducted between January 2018 to June 2018. The tool used to measure the somatic symptoms were based on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)scale. PHQ-15 Somatic Symptom Severity. Results: The somatic symptoms scores are given as follows; 1=0-5, 2=6-10, 3=11-15, 4=>21. Scores of 5, 10, and 15 represent cut points for mild, moderate, and severe anxiety, respectively. Discussion: Our study included more of age group 19-21 having got this tattoo done on them, and suffering from severe somatic symptoms. Majority of the women will be obtaining the tattoos only after 30 years of age and also inclined to have more severe somatic symptoms. Majority of the cases for the said study were from Hindu only and were suffering from overall somatic symptoms. In our study, the majority of the subjects had only one tattoo. Hands were the prominent parts of the body in which the tattoo is being obtained. Colours used in the tattoo are of single coloured as compared to multicoloured. Conclusion: Males, Unmarried were more in number with Hindu & Urban predominance with somatic symptoms diagnosis. And a higher number of the individuals had obtained the tattoo in hands, which probably indicates exhibitionism of tattoo.