General practitioners knowledge, practice and training requirements in relation to doping in sport

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• General Practice
• Public Health

Background:

• Doping in sport poses significant health risks and ethical challenges.
• General Practitioners (GPs) are often the first point of contact for athletes seeking advice.
• Understanding GP's current capacity to address doping is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess General Practitioners' knowledge, practice, and training needs concerning doping in sport in Ireland.
• To identify gaps in current GP education and resources related to anti-doping.

Main Methods:

• A postal questionnaire was distributed to 2083 General Practitioners registered with the Irish College of General Practitioners.
• A response rate of 37% (N=771) was achieved, with demographic data collected.
• Data analysis focused on knowledge of doping agents, training received, consultation experiences, and perceived effectiveness of current anti-doping initiatives.

Main Results:

• Only 14% of GPs reported good or very good knowledge of doping agents, and 12% had specific anti-doping training.
• 28% of GPs had been consulted on doping in sport, but only 25% were aware of national drug-testing procedures.
• 92% acknowledged a role in doping prevention, yet only 9% felt adequately trained, with strong demand for further education.

Conclusions:

• GPs in Ireland possess limited knowledge and training regarding sport doping, impacting their ability to prevent it.
• Current anti-doping initiatives are perceived as ineffective by GPs.
• There is a clear and urgent need for structured, strategic training programs for GPs to enhance their role in combating doping in sport.