title: Sports celebrities and public health: Diego Maradona's influence on drug use prevention.
abstract: Exposure to a sports celebrity through media and sporting events can have important influences on a public health issue associated with that celebrity. The battle against drug use by Argentinean soccer icon Diego Maradona has provoked concerns about drug abuse and prevention in Argentina, particularly among young people. The present study analyzes how two forms of involvement with Maradona affected the public's concern and perceptions of drug use after Maradona's drug-related health crisis in 2004. Results indicate that those who had a greater degree of parasocial interaction with Maradona were more likely to have an increased awareness of drug abuse, a greater personal concern about drug abuse, abstained from drug use, and more strongly support drug abuse prevention programs. In contrast, identification with Maradona had a mitigating effect on drug use prevention. Implications of these findings regarding the influence of sports celebrities on substance abuse are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Communication and the Arts, Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Marcela Alejandra Chavan
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Matviuk
mesh_terms: D001118:Argentina; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005197:Famous Persons; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D011634:Public Health; D012737:Sex Factors; D012916:Soccer / Q000266:history*; D012933:Social Identification; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000266:history / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires