title: Substance use and misuse and potential doping behaviour in rugby union players.
abstract: The aims of this investigation were to compile evidence on substance-use-and-misuse (SUM) and to identify factors related to potential-doping-behaviour (PDB) in rugby union. The subjects were 105 rugby athletes (all males; 23.4 ± 4.1 years; 99% respondents). The variables included socio-demographic factors, SUM-data, sport-factors, knowledge-on-doping (KD), and PDB. Data showed high alcohol consumption, with more than 30% of the athletes binge drinking at least once per week. Approximately 52% of the subjects used dietary-supplementation (DS) and 23% reported PDB, whereas 55% believed that doping is present in rugby. Forward conditional logistic regression revealed that less rugby experience (OR:1.286; 95%CI:1.058-1.563; p < 0.05), less smoking (OR:2.034; 95%CI:1.100-3.760; p < 0.05), higher DS usage (OR:5.543; 95%CI:1.666-18.444; p < 0.01), and a stronger belief that doping is present in rugby (OR:0.305; 95%CI:0.066-0.638; p < 0.01) were significant predictors of PDB. The high PDB and alcohol consumption warrant a serious intervention on these problems in rugby.
authors.affiliation: a University of Split, Faculty of Kinesiology , Teslina 6, Split - 21000 , Croatia.
authors.forename: Damir
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sekulic
authors.forename: Luka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bjelanovic
authors.forename: Miran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pehar
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pelivan
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zenic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004300:Doping in Sports / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005538:Football; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D058573:Performance-Enhancing Substances; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D058573:Performance-Enhancing Substances
keywords: nutritional supplements; performance enhancers; predictors