School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Endocrinology and Metabolism, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
Am J Mens Health. 2020 Nov-Dec;14(6):1557988320966536. doi: 10.1177/1557988320966536.
Additional characterization of patients using anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) is needed to improve harm reduction and cessation resources for patients. Our group sought to expand upon the currently limited data regarding AAS use by performing a web-based survey assessing experiences of males using AAS. Participants included men over the age of 18 with history of AAS use within the past 5 years. Data were collected between August 2019 and April 2020. Primary outcome measures included age when starting AAS, dose of AAS, motivations for use, experiences with health-care professionals, and rate of successful cessation. The survey was accessed 3640 times, resulting in 2385 completed surveys meeting the inclusion criteria (68.93% participation rate).Average participant age was 31.69 ± 10.09 years. Over half of respondents were from the United States ( = 1271, 53.3%). Motives to use AAS included improving appearance ( = 1959, 82.2%), strength gain ( = 1192, 50%), and self-esteem/body image issues ( = 712, 29.87%). Participants rated physicians poorly, regarding knowledge of AAS (4.08 ± 2.23). Most participants did not reveal AAS use to their health-care providers ( = 1338, 56.1%); of those that did, 55.30% ( = 579) reported feeling discriminated against for their use. Of 46.16% ( = 1101) attempting AAS cessation, 60.22% ( = 663) were unsuccessful. Challenges in the management of AAS use include early onset of use, supraphysiologic doses used, and frequently present body image disorders stress. Distrust of health-care providers, poor cessation rates, and lack of physician training further exacerbate this. These findings should serve to reinforce previous calls to action for further research on the treatment of AAS use disorder.
需要对使用合成代谢雄激素类固醇（AAS）的患者进行更多的特征描述，以改善患者的减少伤害和戒断资源。我们的团队试图通过进行一项基于网络的调查来扩大目前关于 AAS 使用的有限数据，该调查评估了使用 AAS 的男性的经验。参与者包括年龄在 18 岁以上且在过去 5 年内有 AAS 使用史的男性。数据收集于 2019 年 8 月至 2020 年 4 月之间。主要结果测量包括开始使用 AAS 的年龄、AAS 的剂量、使用动机、与医疗保健专业人员的经历以及成功戒断的比率。该调查共被访问了 3640 次，有 2385 份符合纳入标准的完整调查（参与率为 68.93%）。参与者的平均年龄为 31.69 ± 10.09 岁。超过一半的受访者来自美国（=1271，53.3%）。使用 AAS 的动机包括改善外观（=1959，82.2%）、增强力量（=1192，50%）和解决自尊/身体形象问题（=712，29.87%）。参与者对医生的知识评价较低，认为他们对 AAS 的了解程度为 4.08 ± 2.23。大多数参与者没有向他们的医疗保健提供者透露 AAS 的使用情况（=1338，56.1%）；在那些透露的人中，有 55.30%（=579）的人报告因使用 AAS 而受到歧视。在试图戒断 AAS 的 46.16%（=1101）的人中，有 60.22%（=663）没有成功。AAS 使用管理中的挑战包括使用的起始年龄较早、使用的超生理剂量以及经常出现的身体形象障碍。对医疗保健提供者的不信任、戒断率低以及医生培训的缺乏进一步加剧了这种情况。这些发现应该有助于加强以前呼吁进一步研究 AAS 使用障碍治疗的行动呼吁。
