Thesis (M.A.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002. / Bibliography: leaves 234-236.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Oct. 22, 2007). Directed by Nancy Nelson Hodges; submitted to the School of Human Environmental Sciences. Includes bibliographical references (p. 274-282).

No description available.

The spate of people with body piercings has drastically increased, yet research on this issue has been frugal. This research was undertaken to develop an understanding of the meanings that multiple body piercings has for women, specifically in terms of their experiences of piercing. Moreover, an emphasis was placed on attaining the participants' experiences of their (i)dentity(ies), and body image in terms of their piercings. A hermeneutic phenomenology methodology was used to develop this understanding premised upon the participants' experiences of multiple body piercings. The sample consisted of six women participants. Their ages ranged from twenty-one to twenty-eight. Interviews conducted, were transcribed verbatim. The interpretation of the data, was informed by a feminist psychoanalytic perspective. There were four themes overall. The over-arching theme that subsequently emerged, was that of Defence(s) against Loss, the second theme was that of (I)dentity, the third was Piercings and Femininity, and finally, the fourth theme was that of Control. Each of the themes were further broken down into significant sub-themes. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 173-187).

This study explores processes of identity construction among women who have skin conditions and body modifications. Analyzing seven semi-structured qualitative interviews, the author examines how individuals affected by skin conditions employ body modification practices to organize their identities and promote feelings of agency across both personal and social domains. Engaging a Bakhtinian dialogic lens, the author argues that body modification may operate as a de-stigmatization strategy that supports individuals with skin conditions in cultivating a sense of self-determination and bodily sovereignty. Shaped by grounded theory, this study’s findings trace relationships between body modification and the development of agentic identities among women with skin conditions. Confronted by medical, physical, and social disenfranchisement, women affected by skin conditions may implement body modification practices to navigate treatment, incorporate their conditions, and negotiate their relationships. The author additionally suggests implications for the application of body modification practices as somatic therapeutic modalities.

No description available.

The incidence and prevalence of body piercing health complications among students is a public health matter that has not been researched in Puerto Rico. College students are the most consistent participants in body piercing activities and have reported health complications resulting in visits to medical offices and emergency rooms. Based on the health belief model, which is used to explain and predict health attitudes, the purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to analyze the health risks and possible complications occurring after body piercing and to investigate the association between sex and age and medical complications. Data were collected from 64 nursing students from Puerto Rico who completed the Body Piercing Experience survey. Results of descriptive analyses and logistic regression analyses indicated no significant associations between sex and age and medical complications. Most participants reported they would repeat a body piercing after having knowledge of the health risks and complications of this activity. Results may be used in various ways: to change attitudes of health professionals and the general population regarding health implications related to body piercing; to develop educational programs for children, because results of this study revealed that piercing began in many participants at age 11; and to develop education through promotion and prevention programs with college students and others who engage in body piercing.

Student Number : 9304796E - MA research report - School of Psychology - Faculty of Humanities / The central aim of this research was to ascertain the psychological meaning of, and motivation for body piercing in a sample of female body modifiers. It was decided to conduct research on the psychology of body piercing because although medical, anthropological and social research has been conducted into piercing practices and body modification, very little has focused on the underlying psychological meanings and motivations associated with body modification. Furthermore, the focus of this study was limited to women because it was felt that had both genders been included, possibly gender based differences would have caused the scope of the research project to become too wide. By focusing specifically on women, it was felt that a deeper understanding of the underlying psychological motivations for the piercing of the female body could be explored. For the purposes of this research, the operational definition of body piercing is defined as that which does not echo mainstream fashion trends or promote Eurocentric, socially sanctioned ideals of beauty. The participants needed to have pierced body parts (excluding their earlobes), and the piercings or the piercing process should hold specific significance and meaning for them. Participants who had pierced body parts only for aesthetic reasons were excluded from this study. Those who were included attributed more than just a decorative function and aesthetic value to their body piercings. In other words, they deviated from mainstream piercing practices in terms of the meanings they attach to their piercings. Some of the piercings and piercing practices and processes undertaken by the participants represent a departure from the ‘norm’, and have been described as bordering on pathological. The research sought to identified commonalities and differences amongst the participants and to understand their experiences and behaviour within the context of psychodynamic feminist frameworks. Broadly defined, feminism is a movement organized around the belief that men and women are/should be socially, politically and economically equal. Contemporary feminism, which influences perceptions of female body modification, is split into two distinct strands: one school of feminism views body modification as a form of self-injury and self-mutilation while the other holds that it is a positive resistance in the face of gender norms (Pitts, 2003). This was taken into account in this study. Given that the participants were all women, and that the relationship between body modification and social structures of power/authority are a central concern in feminist literature (Atkinson, 2002), this paradigm was chosen because it provides an appropriate and relevant framework within which to explore the underlying motives and meaning of body piercing for female body piercers. Their attitudes, meaning making processes and relationships with their bodies in relation to their piercings are used to uncover the significance of their body projects and their decisions to be pierced. The central themes which emerged through the thematic data analysis are related back to the feminist literature. Psychoanalysis explores repressed or unconscious impulses, object relations, anxieties, and internal conflicts. For this reason, a psychodynamic framework was used to provide a context within which to explore the unconscious motivations, anxieties and defenses employed by the participants. Freud’s theories of masochism are examined in an attempt to further understand the female body piercer. These are placed within a general psychodynamic framework, and the works of Bowlby, Fonagy, Kernberg, Malan and Winnicott are used to support the findings of the research. The research is based in the qualitative paradigm, with the aim of exploring and describing the body modifier’s thoughts, fantasies, feelings and experiences around being pierced. The data gathered was analyzed using thematic content analysis to elucidate the participants’ reasons for choosing to modify their bodies, and to highlight the meanings of these practices in the context of the their personal histories. In total, six participants were interviewed, although one interview was not included for analysis as it was felt that the data gathered from this interview, while not contradicting the rest of the data gathered, was superficial in content and did not contribute to the research. The excluded participant spoke very broadly and did not really offer much personal information as to the meaning and motives behind her piercings. The research explored the history of body modification, definitions of body modification and body projects, issues pertaining to identity, body image and self concept, expanded consciousness and altered states of being, pain and sadomasochism, the pathologizing of body modification, feminist perspectives on body modification and psychodynamic explanations for body modification. Although much literature abounds on body modification practices, very little is of academic significance. Furthermore, few studies have been conducted into this area from a psychological perspective. In this regard, the writings of Favazza (1996), Featherstone (2003) and Vale & Juno (1989) were used to provide a context within which to place this study. Research papers by Atkinson (2002) and Dennes (2005) also proved particularly useful, and will be discussed in the following chapter.

Introduction: Blood and blood products are still essential for the treatment of several medical conditions for which they have no substitutes. Blood for transfusion is obtained from volunteers who go through several steps during the process of donation Association between tattoos and seropositivity to transfusion-transmissible diseases (TTDs); and it has been proposed that in certain settings having a tattoo can be an exclusion criterion for blood donation. By analogy it could be though that seropositivity to TTDs was also associated with the use of earring and body piercing. Objective: To assess whether the use of earring and/or body piercing can be indicators of seropositivity to the following TTDs: hepatitis B, hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, Chagas disease, and syphilis. Material and methods: Secondary analysis of a data set from a cross-sectional study conducted at the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, and that resulted in a doctoral thesis (Nishioka,S.A.-Tattoos as indicators of transfusion-transmitted disease in Brazil: a matched hospital-based cross-sectional study.Montreal:McGill University,2000.166p). The exposure of main interest were having earring or body piercing, whereas the outcomes of interest were presence of any serologic marker of infections by hepatitis B(HBV), hepatitis C(HCV) HIV, Treponema pallidum or Trypanosoma cruzi, determined by the following tests: HBsAG, anti-HBc, anti- HCV,anti-HIV, VDRL and anti- Trypanosoma cruzi Results: No association between earring and TTDs was observed when the odds ratios were adjusted by confounders, even when the analyses were restricted to males. Body piercing was observed in only two women in the study population, and therefore could not be analyzed.Conclusion: Earring is not associated with seropositivity to TTDs, and should not be used as an exclusion criterion for blood donation. / Introdução: Sangue e derivados são ainda essenciais para tratamento de diversas condições médicas, para os quais ainda não têm substitutos. Sangue para transfusão se obtém de voluntários que passam por diversas etapas durante o processo de doação. Associação entre tatuagens e soropositividade para doenças transmissíveis por transfusão (DTT) já foi demonstrada, e proposta que em determinados locais ter uma tatuagem possa ser critério de exclusão de doação de sangue. Por analogia pode-se pensar que soropositividade para DTTs possa também estar associada com o uso de brincos e body piercing. Objetivo: avaliar se o de uso de brincos e/ou body piercing podem ser indicadores de soropositividade para as seguintes DTTs: hepatite B, hepatite C, infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV), sífilis e doença de Chagas. Material e método: Análise secundária de um banco de dados de um estudo transversal, conduzido na Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, e que resultou em uma tese de doutorado. (Nishioka, S.A. - Tattoos as indicators of transfusion-transmitted diseases in Brazil: a matched hospital based cross-sectional study. Montreal: McGill University, 2000,166p) As exposições de principal interesse foram usar brincos ou body piercing; enquanto que os desfechos de interesse foram: a presença de qualquer marcador sorológico de infecção pelo vírus da hepatite B (HBV) vírus da hepatite C (HCV), HIV, Trypanossoma cruzi ou Treponema pallidum determinada pelos seguintes testes HBsAG, anti-HBc; anti HCV; anti HIV; anti-Trypanosoma cruzi e VDRL. Resultados: Não foi observada associação entre brincos e DTTs quando os odds ratios foram ajustados pelas variáveis de confundimento, mesmo quando a análise foi restrita a indivíduos do sexo masculino. Body piercing só foi observado em duas mulheres na população estudada e, portanto não pode ser estudado. Conclusão: O uso de brincos não está associado com soropositividade para DTTs, e não deve ser um critério de exclusão para doadores de sangue. / Mestre em Ciências da Saúde