Doping awareness, views, and experience: a comparison between general practitioners and pharmacists.
OBJECTIVE
Information about doping awareness among medical professionals is scarce. We evaluated the attitudes, level of knowledge and experience among general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists (Ps) with regard to doping.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional national survey a 59-item self-administered questionnaire was sent to a representative random sample of 645 GPs and 330 Ps.


RESULTS
Overall, 204/975 (133 GPs, 71 Ps) questionnaires were returned and available for analysis. Fewer than half (39% GPs vs. 48% Ps, P = 0.702) of respondents were familiar with the formal definition of doping. The abbreviation WADA was correctly interpreted by 42% (33% vs. 59%, P = 0.003), and 65% knew that the European Commission has the legislation to fight against doping. More GPs (69% vs. 31%, P = 0.005) agreed to have a role to play in doping prevention, similar proportions considering themselves to have sufficient knowledge of prevention initiatives (65% vs. 35%, P = 0.369). Overall, 12% of respondents (8.7% GPs, 19.3% Ps) reported being directly confronted with a request for prescription of doping agents in the previous 12 months (mainly stimulants, anabolic agents, hormones, corticosteroids).


CONCLUSIONS
GPs and Ps are frequently exposed to questions about and requests for doping agents. They have acceptable level of general knowledge but are in need for more specific information on prohibited substances and legislature.
Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Irena
I
Auersperger
Mojca Doupona
MD
Topič
Petra
P
Maver
Vika Kuferšin
VK
Pušnik
Joško
J
Osredkar
Mitja
M
Lainščak
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004300:Doping in Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017524:Slovenia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires