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Illicit Drug Use Among Gym-Goers: a Cross-sectional Study of Gym-Goers in Sweden

Overview of attention for article published in Sports Medicine - Open, August 2017
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About this Attention Score

  • In the top 25% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (89th percentile)
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source (90th percentile)

Mentioned by

news
1 news outlet
policy
1 policy source
twitter
8 X users
facebook
1 Facebook page
video
1 YouTube creator

Citations

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20 Dimensions

Readers on

mendeley
47 Mendeley
Title
Illicit Drug Use Among Gym-Goers: a Cross-sectional Study of Gym-Goers in Sweden
Published in
Sports Medicine - Open, August 2017
DOI 10.1186/s40798-017-0098-8
Pubmed ID
Authors

Yasmina Molero, Ann-Sofie Bakshi, Johanna Gripenberg

Abstract

The use of anabolic-androgenic steroids has increased among gym-goers, and it has been proposed that this may be part of a polysubstance use pattern that includes the use of illicit drugs. Still, epidemiological data on illicit drug use among gym-goers of both genders are meager. The aim of the present study was thus to examine the use of illicit drugs and its correlates in a large sample of men and women who engaged in weight training at gyms across Sweden. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 1969 gym-goers who engaged in weight training in 54 gyms across Sweden were invited to fill in a questionnaire. The questionnaire included 25 items on background variables, weight training frequency, use of illicit drugs and doping substances, and non-medical use of benzodiazepines. Of the gym-goers, 19.6% reported having ever used illicit drugs, 6.5% reported use during the past 12 months, and 2.1% during the past 30 days. The most commonly used drug was cannabis, followed by cocaine, amphetamine, and ecstasy. Almost 40% of those who reported drug use had used more than one drug. Male participants and participants between 20 and 39 years of age made up the majority of users. Furthermore, 5.1% of the reported drug users had ever used a doping substance. There was an almost threefold higher odds (OR = 2.99, 95% CI = 1.16-7.66, p < 0.023) of doping use among people who had reported drug use as compared to non-users. Training at gyms is typically considered a health-promoting behavior. However, our results revealed a slightly higher prevalence of illicit drug use among gym attendees as compared to the general population. Our findings may have captured an underrecognized group of young adult males who engage in weightlifting and use illicit drugs recreationally and/or as training aids. Developing knowledge is imperative in orientating preventive efforts among at-risk gym-goers. ISRCTN11655041.

X Demographics

X Demographics

The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 8 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 47 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 47 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Bachelor 11 23%
Student > Ph. D. Student 5 11%
Student > Master 4 9%
Lecturer 3 6%
Student > Postgraduate 3 6%
Other 8 17%
Unknown 13 28%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 8 17%
Sports and Recreations 6 13%
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science 5 11%
Social Sciences 4 9%
Psychology 3 6%
Other 6 13%
Unknown 15 32%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 21. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 20 January 2024.
All research outputs
#1,731,684
of 25,200,621 outputs
Outputs from Sports Medicine - Open
#165
of 585 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#33,021
of 321,758 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Sports Medicine - Open
#2
of 11 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,200,621 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 93rd percentile: it's in the top 10% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 585 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 26.6. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 71% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 321,758 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done well, scoring higher than 89% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 11 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 90% of its contemporaries.