TY - JOUR
T1 - Beliefs on and attitude toward doping use among athletes
T2 - An Italian survey
AU - Tavani, Alessandra
AU - Colombo, Paolo
AU - Scarpino, Vilma
AU - Zuccaro, Piergiorgio
AU - Pacifici, Roberta
AU - La Vecchia, Carlo
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Background: data on the prevalence of use, beliefs and attitude towards doping substances and practices among Italian athletes are scarce. Methods: in 2006 we interviewed 508 Italian athletes in sports facilities, using an anonymous structured questionnaire to collect information on the athletes' beliefs about the role in performance and side effects of selected doping practices and substances, the reasons for use, obstacles in obtaining drugs, responsibility in the decision, changes in use in recent years, and anti-doping controls. Results: among the athletes, 88.2% believed that supplements were effective to improve performance and 4.8% that they were potentially dangerous. They believed that 87.0% of top-level athletes frequently use supplements, namely 69.1% anti-inflammatory drugs and 56.9% creatine. Doping was widespread in the opinion of 87.4% of athletes, and 45.3% thought it was used at all competition levels. Among those interviewed, 43.9% reported that athletes and coaches together were responsible for use, and 25.2% that it was easy to obtain substances. Lastly, 34.8% believed that doping use increased during 2002-05, and 54.7% thought that anti-doping controls should be more frequent. ConclusionS: this survey indicates that athletes believe that doping (mainly supplement use) is widespread at all competition levels, that athletes are aware of the seriousness of adverse effects and ask for more severe control and emphasis on potential dangers in the press.
AB - Background: data on the prevalence of use, beliefs and attitude towards doping substances and practices among Italian athletes are scarce. Methods: in 2006 we interviewed 508 Italian athletes in sports facilities, using an anonymous structured questionnaire to collect information on the athletes' beliefs about the role in performance and side effects of selected doping practices and substances, the reasons for use, obstacles in obtaining drugs, responsibility in the decision, changes in use in recent years, and anti-doping controls. Results: among the athletes, 88.2% believed that supplements were effective to improve performance and 4.8% that they were potentially dangerous. They believed that 87.0% of top-level athletes frequently use supplements, namely 69.1% anti-inflammatory drugs and 56.9% creatine. Doping was widespread in the opinion of 87.4% of athletes, and 45.3% thought it was used at all competition levels. Among those interviewed, 43.9% reported that athletes and coaches together were responsible for use, and 25.2% that it was easy to obtain substances. Lastly, 34.8% believed that doping use increased during 2002-05, and 54.7% thought that anti-doping controls should be more frequent. ConclusionS: this survey indicates that athletes believe that doping (mainly supplement use) is widespread at all competition levels, that athletes are aware of the seriousness of adverse effects and ask for more severe control and emphasis on potential dangers in the press.
KW - Athletes
KW - Doping use
KW - Italy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84871560941&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.2427/8669
DO - 10.2427/8669
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84871560941
VL - 9
JO - Italian Journal of Public Health
JF - Italian Journal of Public Health
SN - 1723-7807
IS - 4
ER -