Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 Apr;67(657):e274-e279.
doi: 10.3399/bjgp17X689905. Epub 2017 Mar 13.

Gambling problems among patients in primary care: a cross-sectional study of general practices

Sean Cowlishaw  1 , Lone Gale  2 , Alison Gregory  2 , Jim McCambridge  3 , David Kessler  2
Affiliations

Gambling problems among patients in primary care: a cross-sectional study of general practices

Sean Cowlishaw et al. Br J Gen Pract. 2017 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Primary care is an important context for addressing health-related behaviours, and may provide a setting for identification of gambling problems.

Aim: To indicate the extent of gambling problems among patients attending general practices, and explore settings or patient groups that experience heightened vulnerability.

Design and setting: Cross-sectional study of patients attending 11 general practices in Bristol, South West England.

Method: Adult patients (n = 1058) were recruited from waiting rooms of practices that were sampled on the basis of population characteristics. Patients completed anonymous questionnaires comprising measures of mental health problems (for example, depression) and addictive behaviours (for example, risky alcohol use). The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) measured gambling problems, along with a single-item measure of gambling problems among family members. Estimates of extent and variability according to practice and patient characteristics were produced.

Results: There were 0.9% of all patients exhibiting problem gambling (PGSI ≥5), and 4.3% reporting problems that were low to moderate in severity (PGSI 1-4). Around 7% of patients reported gambling problems among family members. Further analyses indicated that rates of any gambling problems (PGSI ≥1) were higher among males and young adults, and more tentatively, within a student healthcare setting. They were also elevated among patients exhibiting drug use, risky alcohol use, and depression.

Conclusion: There is need for improved understanding of the burden of, and responses to, patients with gambling problems in general practices, and new strategies to increase identification to facilitate improved care and early intervention.

Keywords: England; cross-sectional study; gambling; general practice.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Wardle H, Griffiths MD, Orford J, et al. Gambling in Britain: A time of change? Health implications from the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2010. Int J Ment Health Addict. 2012;10:273–277.
    1. Ofcom Trends in advertising activity — Gambling. 2013. http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/tv-research/Trends_in... (accessed 24 Jan 2017).
    1. Delfabbro P. Problem and pathological gambling: a conceptual review. J Gambl Bus Econ. 2013;7(3):35–53.
    1. World Health Organization The ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioural disorders Clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines. 1992. http://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/bluebook.pdf (accesed 24 Jan 2017).
    1. American Psychiatric Association . Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5th edition (DSM–5) Washington: US; 2013.