Once thought to be a problem associated only with elite athletes, anabolic steroid abuse is now understood to permeate all levels of athletics, from high school to professional, and is growing in popularity among non-athletes as well. Viewed in context of the substantial health risks accosiated with chronic steroid ingestion, and in particular, in additional health risks faced by adolescent abusers, this situation is properly seen as a major national health problem. Although highly publicized recent events have served to focus attention on the problem of steroid abuse, and its association adverse health effects, anabolic steroid use continues to rise. One reason this information, and the additional legal sanctions recently enacted, have had little effect on the growing use of steroids, is the great unlikelihood that abusers will be caught. Due to the high costs, testing is infrequent and spotty at the professional and collegiate level, and non-existent at the high school level. We propose to develop an inexpensive, rapid easy to perform enzyme immunoassay for commonly abused steroids. The assay is designed to be performed on-site by untrained personnel, and will function as a screen capable of detecting anabolic steroid ingestion. This screening device will give coaches, educators, and health care professionals a valuable tool in combating steroid abuse, and will serve as a deterrent to future abuse.
