Renee Zahnow1, Jim McVeigh2, Geoff Bates3, Vivian Hope4, Joseph Kean5, John Campbell6, Josie Smith7. 1. School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia. Electronic address: r.zahnow@uq.edu.au. 2. Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moore's University, Henry Cotton Campus, 15-21 Webster Street, Liverpool, L3 2ET, United Kingdom. Electronic address: J.McVeigh@ljmu.ac.uk. 3. Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moore's University, Henry Cotton Campus, 15-21 Webster Street, Liverpool, L3 2ET, United Kingdom. Electronic address: G.P.Bates@2016.ljmu.ac.uk. 4. Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moore's University, Henry Cotton Campus, 15-21 Webster Street, Liverpool, L3 2ET, United Kingdom. Electronic address: V.D.Hope@ljmu.ac.uk. 5. Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moore's University, Henry Cotton Campus, 15-21 Webster Street, Liverpool, L3 2ET, United Kingdom. Electronic address: joseph@ninezerofive.org. 6. Research, Development and Innovation at Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Electronic address: John.Campbell@ggc.scot.nhs.uk. 7. Public Health Wales, Health Promotion, Cardiff, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Josie.Smith@wales.nhs.uk.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite recognition that the Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (AAS) using population is diverse, empirical studies to develop theories to conceptualise this variance in use have been limited. METHODS: In this study, using cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regression, we identify typologies of people who use AAS and examine variations in motivations for AAS use across types in a sample of 611 men who use AAS. RESULTS: The cluster analysis identified four groups in the data with different risk profiles. These groups largely reflect the ideal types of people who use AAS proposed by Christiansen et al. (2016): Cluster 1 (You Only Live Once (YOLO) type, n = 68, 11.1%) were younger and motivated by fat loss; Cluster 2 (Well-being type, n = 236, 38.6%) were concerned with getting fit; Cluster 3 (Athlete type, n = 155, 25.4%) were motivated by muscle and strength gains; Cluster 4 (Expert type, n = 152, 24.9%) were focused on specific goals (i.e. not 'getting fit'). CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate the need to make information about AAS accessible to the general population and to inform health service providers about variations in motivations and associated risk behaviours. Attention should also be given to ensuring existing harm minimisation services are equipped to disseminate information about safe intra-muscular injecting and ensuring needle disposal sites are accessible to the different types.
BACKGROUND: Despite recognition that the Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (AAS) using population is diverse, empirical studies to develop theories to conceptualise this variance in use have been limited. METHODS: In this study, using cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regression, we identify typologies of people who use AAS and examine variations in motivations for AAS use across types in a sample of 611 men who use AAS. RESULTS: The cluster analysis identified four groups in the data with different risk profiles. These groups largely reflect the ideal types of people who use AAS proposed by Christiansen et al. (2016): Cluster 1 (You Only Live Once (YOLO) type, n = 68, 11.1%) were younger and motivated by fat loss; Cluster 2 (Well-being type, n = 236, 38.6%) were concerned with getting fit; Cluster 3 (Athlete type, n = 155, 25.4%) were motivated by muscle and strength gains; Cluster 4 (Expert type, n = 152, 24.9%) were focused on specific goals (i.e. not 'getting fit'). CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate the need to make information about AAS accessible to the general population and to inform health service providers about variations in motivations and associated risk behaviours. Attention should also be given to ensuring existing harm minimisation services are equipped to disseminate information about safe intra-muscular injecting and ensuring needle disposal sites are accessible to the different types.
Authors: Diego A Bonilla; Luis A Cardozo; Jorge M Vélez-Gutiérrez; Adrián Arévalo-Rodríguez; Salvador Vargas-Molina; Jeffrey R Stout; Richard B Kreider; Jorge L Petro Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-10-05 Impact factor: 4.614