Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Related to Health Impact of Performance-Enhancing Drugs among the Male Students in Qassim University

Abstract

Background: Performance-Enhancing Drugs ( PEDs ) are used by young adults to enhance physical performance and appearance. There are many medical problems associated with Performance-Enhancing Drugs . Aim of the work: this study aimed to estimate knowledge, attitudes and practices about the hazards of PEDs among young adults (18-28 years old) in Qassim University. Method: this was a descriptive cross-sectional analytical study carried out among male students at Qassim University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during 2014- 2015. A self-administered questionnaire was completed from 134 male students in three colleges, one medical and two non-medicals. Results: prevalence of use in the medical students were 66.7 who were previously used AS and the half (33.3%) in non-medical students, but the current use among medical student was 16.7%, less than non-medical (83.3%). Regarding the source of using PEDs , the highest percentage in the medical students from friends, and the doctors in non-medical students. The prevalence of knowledge of medical students who know about side effect of using PEDs was 62,1 % more than non-medical (37,9 %). The majority of medical student recognized liver disease (61,9%), infertility (60%), gynecomastia (65%), shrinking testicle (62.5%) and hormonal disturbance (37.1%) compared to non-medical who knew about liver disease (38.1%), infertility (40%), gynecomastia (35%), shrinking testicle (37,5%) and hormonal disturbance(26,9%). Medical students showed positive attitude towards the use of PEDs (31.8%) which showed less than non-medical students (68.2%). As (61.1%) of non-medical believed the PEDs were responsible for improvement their performance conversely, 38.9% of medical students believed in that improvement. Conclusion, the non-medical students knew about the benefits of using PEDs for performance enhancement (47%) more than medical students (24%), thus non-medical students believed of enhancing their performance by PEDs more than the medical students. The medical and non- medical students who used PEDs had exposed to their side effects therefore, we should pay more attention to educate those about them more.