Building on the national surveys of image and performance enhancing drug use undertaken in both 2015 and 2016 (available at: www.ipedinfo.co.uk), a qualitative research project was undertaken in Wales to explore the barriers and facilitators to health care access amongst people using anabolicandrogenic steroids (AAS) and other image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs). The aim of this research was to identify low cost (<£5k) or no cost service improvements and interventions to encourage early engagement with health and related services by people using IPEDs in order to reduce health harms, be they physical, psychological and/or social. 

This study utilised data and ideas gathered through semi-structured qualitative interviews with individuals using anabolic–androgenic steroids and those providing community-based health and related services that should be accessed by this group and an Evidence Gathering and Synthesis Event which involved a wide range of stakeholders. Ideas for services improvements identified through these activities were then synthesised into a number of recommendations. 

Whilst this work was undertaken in Wales, in light of the findings from the previous IPED surveys and extensive engagement with this population across England, Scotland and Wales, the findings and recommendations are considered to be generalizable to the wider UK population using AAS and other image and performance enhancing drugs.