Anabolic Steroid Misuse Among US Adolescent Boys: Disparities by Sexual Orientation and Race/Ethnicity

Am J Public Health. 2017 Feb;107(2):319-321. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303566. Epub 2016 Dec 20.

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the prevalence of anabolic steroid misuse among US adolescent boys as a function of sexual orientation and race/ethnicity.

Methods: We analyzed boys from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 6248; mean age = 16), a representative sample of US high school students. Lifetime prevalence of anabolic steroid misuse was dichotomized as never versus 1 or more times.

Results: Sexual minority boys reported elevated misuse compared with heterosexual boys, within each level of race/ethnicity. Black, Hispanic, and White sexual minority boys reported misuse at approximately 25%, 20%, and 9%, respectively.

Conclusions: Sexual orientation health disparities in anabolic steroid misuse disproportionally affect Black and Hispanic sexual minority adolescent boys, but more research is needed to understand the mechanisms driving these disparities.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior*
  • Ethnicity / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Risk-Taking
  • Sexual Behavior*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / ethnology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Testosterone Congeners / administration & dosage*
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Testosterone Congeners