Performance and image enhancing drug interventions aimed at increasing knowledge among healthcare professionals (HCP): reflections on the implementation of the Dopinglinkki e-module in Europe and Australia in the HCP workforce

Atkinson, Amanda; Ven, Katinka van de; Cunningham, Mitchell L.; Zeeuw, Tjeerd de; Hibbert, Emily; Forlini, Cynthia; Barkoukis, Vassilis; Sumnall, Harry

doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103141

Cited by 23 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 44 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…With recent research exploring the ways in which health services may better address the needs of IPED users to increase engagement (Atkinson et al, 2021; Bates et al, 2021; Harvey et al, 2020), awareness regarding how concerns over stigma and a need for anonymity may vary geographically, and be heightened within certain user populations, particularly among those from deprived rural backgrounds, will also be worth considering in continued policy development. It is clear, however, that hesitance to engage with HCP may be more pronounced among specific populations, and concerns regarding employment in particular may make increasing HCP’s knowledge of IPEDs an insufficient—albeit still valuable—approach to addressing the lack of help seeking within these populations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Impacts of Rurality on Service Access and Harm Among Image and Performance Enhancing Drug (IPED) Users in a Remote English Region

Turnock

Mulrooney

2023

Contemporary Drug Problems

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs) have been highlighted in recent years as posing a potential risk to public health, with much research dedicated to exploring the use of these drugs and associated harms. While recent work has considered harm reduction for IPED users, the geographic and cultural impacts of rurality on IPED use and harms, particularly in relation to harm reduction service access, remains comparatively under-explored. Features of rurality relating to levels of economic distress, the inheritance and decline of manual labor, and rural conceptions of masculinity are important in shaping drug harms. Consequently, the “rural risk environment” for IPED users is in need of exploration. This research examines the experiences of IPED users in a remote two-county region of rural England, drawn from a multi-year ethnography and 18 qualitative interviews with IPED users, to explore the impacts of rurality and the “rural risk environment” on service access and harm (reduction) within this population. Findings highlight a number of ways in which rurality impacted on IPED users’ access to harm reduction services such as needle and syringe programs (NSP), as well as engagement with healthcare practitioners (HCP). Issues included the distances required to access services and lack of public transport between towns; the impacts of stigma in a small town context where there is little anonymity; Distrust of HCP relating to cultural mindsets and regionally derived fears regarding impacts on employment prospects, particularly military; and the impacts of rural masculinities and perceptions of the self-sufficient “real man” on help-seeking when experiencing harm. The research highlights the need to incorporate cultural geographic understandings into harm reduction policy for IPED users, and the significance of rurality on experiences of harm.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Impacts of Rurality on Service Access and Harm Among Image and Performance Enhancing Drug (IPED) Users in a Remote English Region

Turnock

Mulrooney

2023

Contemporary Drug Problems

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Table 2 summarises the seven papers that were included in the final review. Six papers were published in 2021 and one in 2022; one study was global [6 ▪ ] one was not stated [26], one included Europe and Australia [27 ▪ ], the remainder were in Europe [7 ▪ ,8,9 ▪ ,28]. Two studies were of professionals supporting those who used androgens [27 ▪ ,28], the other studies include all or some participants who use androgens.…”

Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The positive attitudes of fitness professionals to this training are important as other studies have found that androgen users often seek support from trainers [29]. Atkinson et al 's report [27 ▪ ] differed finding several barriers to acceptance amongst healthcare professionals including keeping the information current, limited time to complete the learning, over-complex language used and the potential to reinforce stigma. Atkinson et al [27 ▪ ] noted that one of the key barriers to androgen abusers not wanting to access services was perceived lack of knowledge of medical professionals [30,31], and effective training could address this barrier.…”

Section: Interventions With Professionalsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Mixed-methods research on androgen abuse – a review

Harvey

Teijlingen

Parrish

2022

Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes &Amp; Obesity

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose of reviewThis paper reviews the mixed-methods studies from the last 2 years (2021–2022) into androgen use to highlight the most relevant developments within the field.Recent findingsThe literature review found seven papers from 2021 to 2022. These seven cover a range of important considerations, including interventions to reduce androgen use, educational tools to increase professionals’ knowledge, explorations on the comorbidity of use with other substances, motivations for use, potential risks factors for androgens’ initiation, or risks of using androgens. Key findings include a greater understanding of motivations for use, particularly in females and older males; identification of potential risks for starting use/using androgens; benefits of including practical strength exercises in preventive intervention programmes and the efficacy of e-learning tools to increase professionals’ knowledge of androgens use, as well as an increase in their confidence to support androgen users.SummaryThe key implications for clinical practice are that we still need to support healthcare professionals to overcome the barriers for increasing their skills and knowledge around androgen use. A recognition that people who have become dependent on androgen use are potentially at risk of considerable harm, with further research needed into sub-groups of androgen users.Video abstract, http://links.lww.com/COE/A35

show abstract

“…Key to the delivery of effective responses and support to those using these drugs for enhancement is adequate and accurate knowledge and understanding amongst those healthcare workers who come into contact with this population. Atkinson et al (2021) in this collection explore an intervention designed to provide training to health professionals and examine the challenges in doing so. Their findings highlight the importance of including the voices of both healthcare professionals and those using enhancement drugs in the development of interventions.…”

Section: Motivations For Use Of 'Enhancement Drugs'mentioning

confidence: 99%