A mixed-methods systematic review of the psycho-social outcomes and experiences of therapeutic tattooing for cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Increasing rates of cancer survivorship suggest more individuals will face the challenges associated with living in a changed body post-treatment. Therapeutic tattooing is an intervention to address these challenges. However, no previous systematic review has synthesised the existing evidence on the psycho-social outcomes and experiences of cancer survivors who have received therapeutic tattoos. This review addresses this important gap within the literature.

METHODS

Seven databases were searched in this systematic review: PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies that examined the psycho-social outcomes and experiences of therapeutic tattoos for cancer survivors. A convergent integrated thematic synthesis was conducted to synthesise qualitative and quantitative data.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies were included (6 qualitative, 10 quantitative), representing data from over 747 tattooed cancer survivors across diverse cancer types. Six themes related to the psycho-social outcomes and experiences of therapeutically tattooed cancer survivors were identified: (1) fulfilment, (2) wellbeing, (3) feelings about one's body, (4) perceived design quality, (5) processing feelings about cancer, and (6) reconceptualised identities.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this review highlight that therapeutic tattoos can impact cancer survivors in several ways, positively and negatively. However, there is a limit to both the breadth and depth of the current understanding of these tattoos as a whole despite growing popularity.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Advancing our understanding of therapeutic tattooing will empower cancer survivors to make more informed decisions about the practice and their bodies following treatment. Our review has identified several positive and negative psychosocial outcomes/experiences which may come from receiving a therapeutic tattoo. However, further research is needed to guide policy and training in this practice to better support and protect interested cancer survivors.