Performance- and image-enhancing drug use in the community: use prevalence, user demographics and the potential role of wastewater-based epidemiology
File version
Accepted Manuscript (AM)
Author(s)
Piatkowski, Timothy
Thomas, Kevin
Speers, Naomi
Brooker, Lance
Tscharke, Ben J
O'Brien, Jake W
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
Size
File type(s)
Location
Abstract
Performance- and image-enhancing drug (PIED) misuse is a significant public health issue. Currently, seizure data, surveys, anti-doping testing, and needle service provider data are used to estimate PIED use in populations. These methods are time consuming, single point-in-time measurements that often consist of small sample sizes and do not truly capture PIED prevalence. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been used globally to assess and monitor licit and illicit drug consumption within the general community. This method can objectively cover large populations as well as specific subpopulations (gyms, music festivals, prisons), and has potential as a complementary monitoring method for PIED use. Information obtained through WBE could be used to aid public health authorities in developing targeted prevention and education programmes. Research on PIED analysis in wastewater is limited and presents a significant gap in the literature. The focus is on anabolic steroids, and one steroid alternative currently growing in popularity; selective androgenic receptor modulators. This encompasses medical uses, addiction, prevalence, user typology, and associated public health implications. An overview of WBE is described including its benefits, limitations and potential as a monitoring method for PIED use. A summary of previous work in this field is presented. Finally, we summarise gaps in the literature, future perspectives, and recommendations for monitoring PIEDs in wastewater.
Journal Title
Journal of Hazardous Materials
Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
419
Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
© 2021 Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, providing that the work is properly cited.
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Chemical sciences
Epidemiology
Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
Science & Technology
Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Engineering, Environmental
Environmental Sciences
Persistent link to this record
Citation
Shimko, KM; Piatkowski, T; Thomas, K; Speers, N; Brooker, L; Tscharke, BJ; O'Brien, JW, Performance- and image-enhancing drug use in the community: use prevalence, user demographics and the potential role of wastewater-based epidemiology, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2021, 419, pp. 126340