Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) has awarded £42,357 to the University of Sunderland to conduct a year-long project to identify the prevalence, motivations and mental health status of users of Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs and Supplements (PIEDS) amongst ex-Service personnel.
The study is taking place in the North East of England and will be facilitated by Finchale College, Durham, where researchers will explore why ex-Service personnel take body enhancing drugs, when they became users (pre-, during or post-service), the processes involved, and the level of awareness users have of the negative consequences of PIEDS, in order to inform the development of interventions and education programmes.
Previous or current histories of PIEDS users within the Criminal Justice System will also be investigated, as will any link between usage of body enhancement drugs and supplements with mental health and wellbeing of ex-Service personnel.
Ray Lock, Chief Executive of the Forces in Mind Trust, said: “It is important to get a better understanding of the reasons why ex-Service personnel take performance enhancing drugs and supplements and how and when they become users, particularly given the negative consequences of their use.
“This research is important as for many years there have been concerns about the use of such drugs in sport, and more recently, those concerns have transferred to the wider population, particularly to enhance strength and body image. The Armed Forces as part of wider society are not immune to this problem, particularly given their need to be physically robust. We look forward to this research to help determine the degree, if any, of this problem amongst our ex-Service personnel to ensure that the appropriate support is in place.”
Dr Ian Whyte, Team Leader and Principal Lecturer in Sport and Exercise at the University of Sunderland, said: “I am delighted to receive this research grant to take forward a project in such a developing and important topic. Working with the Forces in Mind Trust has already been exceptionally beneficial, both from a personal level as well as for the University of Sunderland as this is the first time that we have worked together.
“The Forces in Mind Trust is a very well managed and professional organisation with outstanding support staff. I have already received considerable support and encouragement from the organisation and look forward to a mutually beneficial collaboration and the development of a long-term relationship.”
Note to Editor:
Ray Lock is available for interview. To arrange please contact Tina McKay, Communications Officer at FiMT on co@fim-trust.org or on 07956 101132 or 0207 901 8916.
About the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT):
FiMT came about from a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund (‘the Fund’), Cobseo (The Confederation of Service Charities) and other charities and organisations. FiMT continues the Fund’s long-standing legacy of support for veterans across the UK with an endowment of £35 million awarded in 2012. http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/.
The mission of FiMT is to enable ex-Service personnel and their families make a successful and sustainable transition to civilian life, and it delivers this mission by generating an evidence base that influences and underpins policy making and service delivery.
FiMT awards grants (for both responsive and commissioned work) to support its change model around 6 outcomes in the following areas: Housing; Employment; Health and wellbeing; Finance; Criminal Justice System; and Relationships. All work is published in open access and hosted on the Forces in Mind Trust Research Centre’s Veterans and Families Research Hub https://www.vfrhub.com/. A high standard of reportage is demanded of all grant holders so as to provide a credible evidence base from which better informed decisions can be made.
Useful links:
Website: www.fim-trust.org
Reports: www.fim-trust.org/reports/
Who we have helped: www.fim-trust.org/who-we-have-helped/
Twitter: @FiMTrust
About the Mental Health Research Programme: www.fim-trust.org/mental-health/research-programme/
