TY - JOUR
T1 - Profiling and assessing the risks of image- and performance-enhancing drugs use during the COVID-19 lockdown
AU - De Luca, Ilaria
AU - Di Carlo, Francesco
AU - Burkauskas, Julius
AU - Dores, Artemisa R.
AU - Carvalho, Irene P.
AU - Gómez-Martínez, M. Ángeles
AU - Szabo, Attila
AU - Fujiwara, Hironobu
AU - Barbosa, Cristina Monteiro
AU - Di Nicola, Marco
AU - Mazza, Marianna
AU - Sani, Gabriele
AU - Luciani, Debora
AU - Pettorruso, Mauro
AU - di Giannantonio, Massimo
AU - Cataldo, Ilaria
AU - Esposito, Gianluca
AU - Martinotti, Giovanni
AU - Zandonai, Thomas
AU - Rabin, Olivier
AU - Corazza, Ornella
N1 - © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
PY - 2024/6/19
Y1 - 2024/6/19
N2 - Background: Image and Performance-Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) can enhance mental and physical capabilities and impact one’s overall health. Initially confined in sport environments, IPEDs use has become increasingly widespread in a high-performing society. The present study was aimed at profiling IPEDs use during the COVID-19 lockdown among an international sample of young adults. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out in eight countries (United Kingdom, Italy, Lithuania, Hungary, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, and Japan) between April and May 2020. The survey questionnaire included validated measurements such as Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI), and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) as well as questions about the type of IPEDs, purchasing methods and socio-demographic information. Results: A total of 736 IPEDs users were included in the survey. Their mean age was 33.05 years (±SD = 10.06), and 64.2% were female participants. Overall, 6.8% were found at risk of exercise addiction (EAI >24), 27.6% presented high levels of appearance anxiety, and 24.9% revealed low levels of emotional regulation’s self-compassion. Most participants (55.6%) purchased IPEDs through pharmacies/specialized shops, while 41.3% purchased IPEDs on the Internet. Online IPEDs buyers were mainly men who had higher scores on the Exercise Addiction Inventory. One or more IPEDs classifiable as “potentially risky” were used by 66.3% of the sample. Users of “potentially risky IPEDs” were younger and primarily men. They showed higher scores both on the Exercise Addiction Inventory and Appearance Anxiety Inventory. Conclusion: This study profiled users of IPEDs when the most restrictive COVID-19 lockdown policies were implemented in all the participating countries. More targeted post-COVID 19 prevention strategies should be implemented according to the emerged socio-demographic and psychopathological traits and cross-cultural differences emerged. Longitudinal studies will also be needed to determine the long-term effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on IPEDs consumption.
AB - Background: Image and Performance-Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) can enhance mental and physical capabilities and impact one’s overall health. Initially confined in sport environments, IPEDs use has become increasingly widespread in a high-performing society. The present study was aimed at profiling IPEDs use during the COVID-19 lockdown among an international sample of young adults. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out in eight countries (United Kingdom, Italy, Lithuania, Hungary, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, and Japan) between April and May 2020. The survey questionnaire included validated measurements such as Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI), and Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) as well as questions about the type of IPEDs, purchasing methods and socio-demographic information. Results: A total of 736 IPEDs users were included in the survey. Their mean age was 33.05 years (±SD = 10.06), and 64.2% were female participants. Overall, 6.8% were found at risk of exercise addiction (EAI >24), 27.6% presented high levels of appearance anxiety, and 24.9% revealed low levels of emotional regulation’s self-compassion. Most participants (55.6%) purchased IPEDs through pharmacies/specialized shops, while 41.3% purchased IPEDs on the Internet. Online IPEDs buyers were mainly men who had higher scores on the Exercise Addiction Inventory. One or more IPEDs classifiable as “potentially risky” were used by 66.3% of the sample. Users of “potentially risky IPEDs” were younger and primarily men. They showed higher scores both on the Exercise Addiction Inventory and Appearance Anxiety Inventory. Conclusion: This study profiled users of IPEDs when the most restrictive COVID-19 lockdown policies were implemented in all the participating countries. More targeted post-COVID 19 prevention strategies should be implemented according to the emerged socio-demographic and psychopathological traits and cross-cultural differences emerged. Longitudinal studies will also be needed to determine the long-term effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on IPEDs consumption.
KW - exercise addiction
KW - pandemic
KW - image and performance enhancing drugs
KW - COVID-19
KW - exercise dependence
KW - body image
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Behavior, Addictive/psychology
KW - Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
KW - Performance-Enhancing Substances
KW - Young Adult
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - COVID-19/epidemiology
KW - Exercise
KW - Adult
KW - Female
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85197452365&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1386721
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1386721
M3 - Article
C2 - 38962770
SN - 2296-2565
VL - 12
SP - 1
EP - 12
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
JF - Frontiers in Public Health
M1 - 1386721
ER -