Identification of the role of the sports pharmacist with a model for the prediction of athletes' actions to cope with sickness.

In 2009, the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) established Sports Pharmacist-a system for certified pharmacists. There are many over-the-counter drugs that contain prohibited substances in Japan, and they are easily available. In Japan, most doping violations are committed when athletes unintentionally take prohibited substances. Therefore, the Sports Pharmacist has a vital role in promoting the prevention of doping. In the present study, surveys involving a total of 350 athletes, (including 260 representatives of Ehime Prefecture in the National Athletic Meets and 90 college students who participated in the intercollegiate athletics Shikoku area meets), on awareness regarding doping and medical drugs were conducted. Using correspondence and logistic regression analyses, the results were examined to develop a model for the prediction of athletes' actions to cope with sickness based on changes in their awareness of anti-doping, and the relationship between them was also analyzed. The survey results suggested that attitudes towards doping were strongly influenced by gender, rather than the athletic ability and whether or not a doping test is scheduled. Their behavior and criteria for the selection of drugs to address sickness were strongly correlated with awareness of anti-doping. Therefore, athletes with an increased awareness of anti-doping are expected to consult a pharmacist prior to using medicine. The Sports Pharmacist should further promote environmental development, such as activities to improve awareness of doping among young athletes and the establishment of medical drug consultation services for athletes (female athletes in particular).