Dominic Sagoe

• Addictions
• Anabolic steroids
• Body image
• Gambling

Addiction research is my overarching area. Here, I research both substance and behavioral addictions. Under substance addictions, my research primarily focuses on anabolic steroids and related human enhancement drugs (HED). I also conduct research on body image aspects of anabolic steroid and HED misuse, as well as skin bleaching and tattooing. Under behavioral addictions, my main focus is gambling.

My primary research area is the misuse of anabolic steroid and HEDs. Anabolic steroids refer to the natural male hormone testosterone and its synthetic derivatives that are increasingly being misused by some healthy persons mainly for enhancing muscle growth and strength, improving physical/sports performance, and for aesthetic purposes. Long-term and high-dosage anabolic steroid misuse has been associated with various harms such as heart disease, infertility, mood disorders and aggression, and premature mortality. It is also estimated that about 30% of anabolic steroid users experience dependence. Anabolic steroid users also consume other substances (e.g. cannabis) and HED (e.g. growth hormone) for ancillary and synergistic effects, recreation, sexual enhancement etc. Anabolic steroid and HED misuse is regarded a global public health issue.

Body image research is my second area. Aesthetic benefits are important for anabolic steroid and HED users. Thus, my research examines body image aspects of anabolic steroid and HED misuse. Skin bleaching is the cosmetic misuse of agents (e.g. hydroquinone) primarily to lighten normal and natural skin color. This practice has become increasingly popular especially in non-Western cultural contexts and is considered a global public health concern. Relatedly, the practice of tattooing has become mainstream. My recent research on body image has focused on skin bleaching and tattooing.

Affiliated to our group’s recently established National Center for Gaming and Gambling Research, UiB, gambling constitutes my third research area. Although many persons gamble for recreational purposes and do not experience harms, many gamblers experience problem gambling with potentially devastating consequences. Problem gambling is regarded a serious public health issue.

An important factor in my research is personality. Personality research thus transcends the core areas described above. In my research, I employ a variety of methods mainly experiments, cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and qualitative research mainly interviews and focus groups. In short, my research through a variety of methods examines the trajectory, prevalence and patterns, attitudinals, correlates especially personality, effects, prevention, harm reduction and treatment of anabolic steroid and HED misuse, skin bleaching, tattooing, and gambling.

Contact information:

dominic.sagoe@uib.no

https://www.uib.no/en/persons/Dominic.Sagoe