Androgenic anabolic steroid use in matric pupils. A survey of prevalence of use in the western Cape.

A survey was undertaken to determine the prevalence of use of androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) by matric pupils in the western Cape. A cluster sample, stratified by language and a subjective assessment of sporting status, of 13 schools in the area was selected, and 1,361 pupils completed a questionnaire containing questions about sports participation and the use of AAS. The prevalence of use of AAS in the sample was 5.9/1,000 and prevalences in subgroups were 11.7/1,000 for males, 12.5/1,000 for male sports participants and 25.4/1,000 for Afrikaans-speaking male sports participants. A significant amount of under-reporting (AAS users denying their status as such) occurred. General knowledge about AAS was poor, particularly among females and non-sports participants. AAS users experienced more pressure to perform well at sport than did non-users; the drugs were obtained mostly from peers and no user indicated that they were legally obtained. Because there is much evidence regarding the detrimental effects of AAS on health, it is clear that a strategy must be adopted to decrease the prevalence of their use in the schoolgoing population.