Research

In 2007, the Victorian Government-funded Problem Gambling Research and Treatment Centre investigated the risk and protective factors associated with problem gambling.

Using a random digit dialling survey, researchers applied a range of measures to assess:

• alcohol and tobacco use
• depression and distress
• health status

The survey found:

• problem gamblers are likely to suffer from three or more other health-related issues (typically mental health, drug and alcohol, and family violence issues)
• 35.7% of problem gamblers had a ‘severe mental disorder’ as defined by scores on the Kessler K10
• the rate of ‘likely hazardous alcohol use’ for those in the problem gambling group (as measured by the WHO AUDIT) was 50%
• the risk of depression in the problem gambling group was 71.4%
• the rate of daily smoking in the problem gambling group was 57.1%

The study concluded that problem gamblers not only need treatment for their gambling but also for a range of other health issue.

Problem Gambling and Depression: A Prevalence Study, 2008, Thomas, SA & Jackson, AC, Melbourne: Beyond Blue

In 2006, the Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre conducted a study to determine the prevalence of problem gambling and suicidal ideas or behaviours within a psychiatric population.

Researchers found that:

• the prevalence of problem gambling in the psychiatric population was more than four times that of the general community
• depression and substance abuse were commonly occurring problems among people with gambling problems

In light of these findings, the following recommendations were made:

• education about the need for screening clients of mental health services for gambling problems is warranted
• the referral of people with mental health and gambling problems to specialist problem gambling services is indicated to improve access to care and to reduce the time it takes for this access to occur

Our counselling techniques section has advice on how to screen clients and talk to them about problem gambling.

_{Suicide and Problem Gambling – A Community Partnership Strategy for Problem Gamblers, January 2007, Chow-Fairhall, J, Watkins, D, de Castella, A, Kouzma, N, Hollander, Y, Butler, S, Kulkarni, J, Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre – unpublished report}

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