ATTITUDE OF DOPING AMONG ETHIOPIAN PROFESSIONAL MIDDLE AND LONG DISTANCE RUNNERS

Abstract

Doping in sport has become progressively viewed as a wider social problem. Indeed, due to a growing awareness of the recreational use of performance enhancing drugs, a rise in consumption rates, and the perceived associated adverse health effects, performance enhancing drugs have come to be viewed as a serious public health problem. The efficient strategy for prevention of doping use throughout the sport calendar requires improving the level of knowledge and hastening the development of negative attitude and practice towards doping in the athletes society. The aim of the study was to determine the level of attitude Ethiopian professional middle and long distance runners on doping. A quantitative cross-sectional study design was conducted. The study included 775 Ethiopian middle and long distance running athletes. The study participants were selected by using cluster sampling technique. Data were collected using structured and pretested questionnaires and multivariate logistic regression analyses were done to identify factors associated with attitude towards doping. Finally, results were presented with appropriate tables and graph as well as adjusted odd ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval. The prevalence of unfavorable attitude was 70.8%. In terms of attitude age, educational status, residence, attending training on anti doping and parental factors was showed statistically significant association. The prevalence of unfavorable attitude towards doping was moderate. Key words: Ethiopia, athlete, doping, attitude