Prevalence and effects of performance enhancing drugs in different groups: lessons for a preventive and curative policy in Belgium - PREVPED

The use of performance enhancing drugs (hereafter: PED) has changed from being a problem restricted to sports to one of public-health concern. People may use PED in order to improve their physical and/or mental performance. Today, there is evidence PED are used in several settings, such as amateur sports, prisons, work settings, student settings, etcetera. A compelling body of research has sought to understand the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of PED use across settings and populations. Besides methodological issues (e.g. self-reporting and under-reporting of alcohol and drug use), it is challenging to get an accurate overview regarding the actual patterns of PED use within different countries, demographic or occupational groups, due to the extent of non-prescribed use and internet sales (EU-OSHA, 2015). Therefore, the present study aims to analyse possible correlates/potential risk factors of PED use in the general population on the one hand, and aims to analyse effects and motivations of PED users in specific sub-settings. The following three sub-settings are put forward in this project: (1) work, (2) prison, and (3) sport.