Problem Gambling among Ontario Students: Associations with Substance Abuse, Mental Health Problems, Suicide Attempts, and Delinquent Behaviours

This paper describes gambling problems among Ontario students in 2009 and examines the relationship between gambling problems and substance use problems, mental health problem indicators, and delinquent behaviors. 

Data were derived from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey of Ontario students in grades 7-12. Gambling problems were measured as 2 or more of 6 indicators of problem gambling. In total 2.8 % of the students surveyed endorsed two or more of the problem gambling items. The odds of problem gamblers reporting mental distress was 4.2 times higher than the rest of the sample and the odds of problem gamblers reporting a suicide attempt were 17.8 times greater than the rest of the sample. 

In addition compared to the rest of the students, delinquent behaviors were also more common among problem gamblers, including theft (OR = 14.5), selling marijuana (OR = 19.6), gang fights (OR = 11.3) and carrying a handgun (OR = 11.2). 

In a multivariate analysis, substance-use problems, mental health problems, and the participation in a variety of delinquent behaviors remained significantly associated with youth problem gambling behavior. Students who report problem gambling behaviors show increased substance abuse, mental health, and delinquency/criminal problems that are similar to those seen among adult problem gamblers. 

The association between these problems suggests that these problems could be addressed in a unified manner.

Purchase full article at:  http://goo.gl/BtQxWP

By:  Cook S1, Turner NE2,3, Ballon B4,5, Paglia-Boak A6, Murray R7, Adlaf EM8,9, Ilie G10, den Dunnen W11, Mann RE12,13.

• 1Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. steven.cook10@me.com.
• 2Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Rm. T524, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. Nigel_Turner@camh.net.
• 3Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Nigel_Turner@camh.net.
• 4Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Rm. T524, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. Bruce.Ballon@camh.ca.
• 5Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Bruce.Ballon@camh.ca.
• 6Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Rm. T524, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. Angela.Boak@camh.ca.
• 7Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Rm. T524, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. Robert.Murray@camh.ca.
• 8Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Rm. T524, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. eadlaf@sympatico.ca.
• 9Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. eadlaf@sympatico.ca.
• 10St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
• 11Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
• 12Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Rm. T524, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada. Robert.Mann@camh.ca.
• 13Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Robert.Mann@camh.ca. 

More at:  https://twitter.com/hiv_insight

And:        http://twitter.com/Prison_Health