How aware are we about doping in sports? : A cross-sectional pilot survey of doctors.

BACKGROUND

Doctors lack the required anti-doping knowledge. The aim of this single-centre pilot study is to survey the awareness level of doctors about anti-doping regulations and their opinion with reasons on inclusion of sports pharmacology/anti-doping aspects in undergraduate medical curriculum.

METHODS

After ethical clearance, a cross-sectional online pilot survey was done among medical doctors on anti-doping aspects, general awareness, practical applications and opinion on inclusion of doping in sports as a competency under undergraduate medical curriculum. Responses were categorized and analysed. The significance was set at 0.05.

RESULTS

80 doctors including 53 medicine and allied residents, 16 surgery and allied residents and 11 medical doctors took part in the study. 94% doctors understood about doping, 53% were aware about anti-doping organisation, 37% on regulations and 64% were right on prohibited list substances. 80% drugs of abuse mentioned clustered under only four categories (S1, S2, S5 and S6) of the World anti-doping agency (WADA) prohibited list. Practical sports specific anti-doping knowledge in weight cutting (97%), retroactive therapeutic use exemption of medical emergency management (0%), anti-asthmatic medication use (59%) and alcohol use (41%) were significant. Internet (67%) and newspaper (20%) were the main source of information. 73% doctors recommended inclusion of doping in sports in MBBS competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum.

CONCLUSION

Anti-doping specific awareness and knowledge was found lacking among doctors. 73% doctors favour inclusion of doping in sport as a competency in the undergraduate medical curriculum to aid in better clinical practice and athlete counselling.