Behavioural Intentions Associated with Exposure to Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Testing Results: A Two-Phase,...

Area of Science:

• Forensic Chemistry
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) users face significant health risks due to unregulated markets and inadequate harm reduction services.
• Laboratory testing of AAS products can identify issues like incorrect compounds and inaccurate dosages, potentially mitigating risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if laboratory analysis results of AAS products influence users' subsequent behaviors.
• To identify factors that predict harm reduction behavior changes among AAS consumers.

Main Methods:

• Community members submitted AAS samples for forensic analysis of compound presence and dosage.
• Participants who received their results completed a survey on demographics, AAS use, and response to findings.
• Logistic regression analyzed predictors of behavior change, including quality concerns and perceived helpfulness.

Main Results:

• Analysis of 105 AAS samples revealed 22% were mislabelled and 50% underdosed.
• Nearly all participants (95.7%) found the results helpful, and 45.3% reported behavior changes.
• Concern about AAS quality significantly predicted behavior change (OR=1.57, P=.026), unlike perceived helpfulness or confidence.

Conclusions:

• Concerns regarding the quality of anabolic-androgenic steroids are a primary driver for users adopting harm reduction behaviors.
• Disseminating drug testing data that emphasizes product quality issues is a valuable harm reduction strategy.