Journal of Health Psychology

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

The Diabetes Educator

Click here to sign up for SAGE Journal Email Alerts today!

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (1)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Grogan, S.
Right arrow Articles by Hunter, G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Grogan, S.
Right arrow Articles by Hunter, G.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Journal of Health Psychology, Vol. 11, No. 6, 845-856 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1359105306069080

Experiences of Anabolic Steroid Use

In-depth Interviews with Men and Women Body Builders

Sarah Grogan

Staffordshire University, UK

Sarah Shepherd

Staffordshire University, UK

Ruth Evans

Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Sam Wright

Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Geoff Hunter

Salford Community Drugs Team, UK

This study was designed to investigate anabolic steroid users’ experiences of, and motivations for, use. Five men and six women users took part in in-depth interviews. Four themes emerged: Steroid Use vs Abuse; Side-effects; Trusted Information Sources; and Social Pressure. Many users believed that steroids used in moderation were safe. Serious side-effects (liver and kidney damage, hypertension) were not significant disincentives. Information from health professionals tended to be mistrusted because it was not based on first-hand experience of use. Social support, especially from within the body building community, was an important motivator. It is concluded that intervention programmes need the support of the body building community in order to be effective.

Key Words: anabolic steroids • body building • gender • intervention programmes • side-effects


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?