The modes of administration of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) users: are non-injecting people who use steroids overlooked?

Abstract

Introduction: There is increasing public health concern about the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS). Understanding of drug use patterns and practices is important if we are to develop appropriate risk-reduction interventions. Yet, much remains unclear about the modes of administration adopted by AAS users.

Methods: We used data from a sub-sample of participants from the Global Drug Survey 2015; males who reported using injectable or oral AAS in their lifetime (n = 1008).

Results: Amongst our sample, approximately one third (35.62%) reported using only injectable AAS during their lifetime while 35.84% reported using only oral, with less than one third (28.54%) using both.

Conclusion: These findings suggest there may be a sub-population of individuals who only use AAS orally. Needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) are currently the primary point of health service engagement; forming the main healthcare environment for medical and harm reduction advice on steroids. Yet, NSP-based resources are unlikely to reach or be appropriate to those who do not inject AAS. While there is a general need for health services to be more accessible when it comes to AAS use, non-injectors are an overlooked group that require attention.

Keywords:

• Performance and image enhancing drugs
• PIED
• IPED
• anabolic-androgenic steroids
• AAS
• Global Drug Survey
• needle and syringe programmes
• harm reduction

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Note

Disclosure statement

The Global Drug Survey is a commercial entity, which is owned by one of the authors of this publication (Adam Winstock).

Notes

1 Other drugs include ketamine, nitrous, GHB, GBL, PCP, hallucinogens, solvents, paint and glue.