Recreational Athletes' Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances: Results from the First European Randomized Response Technique Survey.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aim

Measuring the prevalence of doping in recreational sport is difficult. However, to fit their initiatives, National Anti-Doping Organizations are interested in knowing the numbers, so their scarce resources are not wasted. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of doping and over-the-counter medicine use for performance enhancement among recreational athletes in eight European countries.

Design

A survey covering + 200 sports aimed at recreational athletes 15 years and older was distributed via social media to sports clubs and individuals in eight European countries. To overcome social desirability bias, we applied indirect questioning by using the Randomized Response Technique and asked for the use of over-the-counter medicine and doping for the

SUBMITTER: Christiansen AV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9825800 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature