The Victorian gambling study: technical report - part two

A series of secondary analyses were undertaken from The Victorian Gambling Study- A longitudinal study of gambling and health 2008-2012 (The Victorian Gambling Study). This paper is the second of a series of technical reports. The focus of this paper is to explore the relationship between the PGSI score and the social determinants and comorbidities in gamblers. The purpose was to investigate a range of possible determinants (for example socio-demographics, physical and mental health, smoking and alcohol use, trauma, life events and social capital) to indicate which showed the strongest association with increased gambling problems as defined by an increase in PGSI score. The analysis is underpinned by a public health approach which views problem gambling as part of a gambling continuum and explores the broader personal, social, economic and environmental as well as biological determinants of gambling problems.

The public health approach is also reflected in the choice of analytical technique which treats the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) score as count data on a continuum. A higher PGSI score is achieved when gamblers experience more problems or a problem more frequently. This is in contrast to the case finding approach that classifies people as distinct groups of non, non-problem, low, moderate or problem gamblers.

The determinants of gambling problems investigated in this secondary analysis have been identified in literature reviews, and in The Victorian Gambling Study, as associated with gambling or problem gambling. These include co morbidities (such as substance use, physical and mental health), trauma, life events, socio-demographics and indicators of social capital. There were 60 variables investigated.