Table 1 Characteristics of the two student samples

Age (mean ± SD)

16.1 ± 1.3

21.6 ± 4.1

Gender (%)*

4,557 (48.9) M

4,737 (50.8) F

2,052 (56.8) M

1,542 (42.7) F

χ² = 67.45

< 0.0000001

Pierced (%)

2,923 (31.3)

1,192 (33)

χ² = 3.319

0.06849

Gender of pierced (%)*

910 M (31.1)

2,008 F (68.6)

376 M (31.5)

811 F (68.0)

χ² = 0.09446

0.7586

Age at first piercing (mean ± SD)

12.9 ± 2.5

15.9 ± 4.3

F = 2.95

< 0.0000001

Tattooed (%)

1,054 (11.3)

886 (24.5)

χ² = 357.6

< 0.0000001

Gender of tattooed (%)*

534 M (50.6)

520 F (49.3)

311 M (35.1)

320 F (36.1)

χ² = 1.086

0.2991

Age at first tattoo (mean ± SD)

14.8 ± 2.5

17.6 ± 2.6

F = 2.95

0.2228

Interested to piercings

1,638 (25.5)

352 (14.5)

χ² = 122.2

< 0.0000001

Interested to tattooing

3,522 (42.5)

690 (25.3)

χ² = 412.9

< 0.0000001