Enhancing Health and Safety for Beauty Professionals in Ijebu-Jesa and Ede, Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Body modification practices such as tattooing and piercing are increasingly popular worldwide, including among Nigerian youth. However, inadequate hygiene practices among practitioners pose significant public health risks. This study assessed the baseline knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to hygiene among tattoo and piercing practitioners in Osun State, Nigeria, and evaluated the effectiveness of a targeted educational intervention.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving pre- and post-intervention assessments. The intervention comprised structured lectures and hands-on demonstrations on infection control and hygiene standards.

Results: This study observed a critical effect size in knowledge (d = 2.31) and medium effect sizes for practice (d = 0.71), highlighting the training's effectiveness. A striking 83.9% of the intervention group agreed that tattoo artists should cover exposed skin, a stark contrast to only 17.2% in the control group. Furthermore, nearly all intervention group participants, 93.5%, recognized the importance of cleaning clients' skin with antiseptic, whereas only 17.2% of the control group shared this view. In a positive shift, 67.7% of the intervention group disagreed that wearing gloves is more important than washing hands, suggesting a more comprehensive understanding of both practices' importance, unlike the 79.3% in the control group who prioritized gloves.

Conclusion: The study observed that baseline assessments revealed limited knowledge and suboptimal adherence to health and safety protocols among participants. Post-intervention findings demonstrated significant improvements in both knowledge and reported hygiene practices. These findings suggest the implementation of standardized, structured training programs to enhance safety and reduce health risks in the industry among body modification practitioners.