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. 2010 Jan;15(1):33-44.
doi: 10.1017/s1092852900000286.

Differential associations between problem and pathological gambling and psychiatric disorders in individuals with and without alcohol abuse or dependence

Judson A Brewer  1 , Marc N Potenza, Rani A Desai
Affiliations

Differential associations between problem and pathological gambling and psychiatric disorders in individuals with and without alcohol abuse or dependence

Judson A Brewer et al. CNS Spectr. 2010 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Alcohol abuse and/or dependence, alcohol use disorders (AUDs), and problem and/or pathological gambling (PPG) frequently co-occur with each other and other psychiatric disorders. However, prior studies have not investigated the relative influence of AUDs on the associations between PPG and other psychiatric disorders,

Methods: Nationally representative data froni the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (n=43,093; United States residents > or = 18 years of age) was used to examine the influence of AUDs on the associations between gambling and other psychiatric disorders and behaviors. The main outcome measures were co-occurrence of past-year AUD and Axis I and II disorders and severity of gambling based on the 10 inclusionary diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling.

Results: Among non-AUD respondents, increasing gambling severity was associ- ated with increasingly elevated odds for the majority of Axis I and II disorders. Among AUD respondents, this pattern was typically not observed. Alcohol-by-gambling-group interactions for PPG were also found and the odds of these disorders was significantly increased in non-AUD respondents with PPG, but either unchanged or significantly lower in AUD respondents with PPG.

Conclusions: Gambling-related associations exist with multiple psychiatric disorders, but particularly in those without AUD. These associations have important implications with respect to conceptualization, prevention, and treatment of psychiatric disorders in individuals with gambling and/or AUDs.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Gambling severity is associated with increased rates of psychiatric disorders in non-alcohol abusing and/or dependent individuals Prevalence estimates for psychiatric disorders in the NESARC data. PPG = problem and/or pathological gambling. Black bars = no Alcohol Abuse and/or Dependence, White bars = Alcohol Abuse and/or Dependence
Figure 2
Figure 2
Gambling Severity is associated with increased odds ratio of psychiatric disorders in non-alcohol abusing and/or dependent individuals Adjusted odds ratios for psychiatric disorders in the NESARC data. Black bars = no Alcohol Abuse and/or Dependence, White bars = Alcohol Abuse and/or Dependence. * p<0.05, ** p<0.01, *** p<0.001, (—) denotes statistical significance in gambling by alcohol interactions between groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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