nfhk2011 jessika svensson_parallel4

SWELOGS – a population study on

Gambling and Health

Ulla Romild & Jessika Svensson

2011-08-2410th Nordic Public Health Conference, Turku

The Swedish National Institute of Public Healthof Public Health


”The overarching aim of Sweden’s national public health policy is to create

National aim for the public health policy

health policy is to create

social conditions that will

ensure good health, on equal

terms for the entire

population”


Gambling prevention in Sweden

• The Problem Gambling Unit has been

placed at the Swedish National

Institute of Public Health (SNIPH)

since 1999

• Has been part of the eleven public

2011-08-24

• Has been part of the eleven public

health objectives since then

• Stands for the bulk of gambling

research, treatment and prevention in

Sweden

10th Nordic Public Health Conference, Turku

Population studies covering gambling in Sweden

• Swedish Gambling Study (SWEGS) 1997/98

with follow up

• National Survey of Public Health (Health on

Equal Terms 2004-

2011-08-24

Equal Terms 2004-

• Swedish Longitudinal Gambling Study

(SWELOGS) 2008-2014


Purposes of SWELOGS

• to measure the prevalence and incidence of problem

gambling with comparability to other jurisdictions

• to describe problem gambling in relation to changes

in gambling behaviour and environment

• to identify relevant target groups for preventive

measures

2011-08-24

measures

• to analyse health related, social and economic

consequences

• to identify risk and protective factors

• develop an improved PG-instrument which is

sensitive also to mild forms of problem gambling


• The sample consists of 15 000 individuals, aged 16-84,

representative for the population

• Sample stratification based on predicted probabilities for

having gambling problems, age and gender

• Data collection, phase I

Sampling and methods for data collection

• Data collection, phase I

– Telephone interviews from October 2008 until April 2009

– Questionnaires sent by post to those not reached by

telephone until August 2009

• Around 8 300, or 63 percent, responded


• Gambling (lifetime and past 12 months)

• Gambling problems (SOGS, PGSI, FORS) and

gambling related questions

Questionnaire

• Computer gaming

• Health, demografics, socio-economy

+ register variables from Statistics Sweden


Male and female gambling in different gambling forms

2728

32

53

24

56

40%

60%

13

3

8

1213

17

4 3

79

4 4

20

9

24

0%

20%

Lottery Lotto Sports Horses Poker Casino games Vegas(machines)

TV-shows Bingo Internet

Men (n=4091) Women (n=4076)


Gambling in Sweden

• 70 percent of the population aged 16-84 has gambled in

the past 12 months, 44 percent gamble regularly

• Minors gamble in all forms including gambling machines

• Gambling on casino games, poker and sports are more

frequent among men than women

• Elderly people, aged 65-84, gamble on lotteries, lotto

and horses more often than young people

• A third of those who gambled during the past 12 months

only gambled in one form


Gambling problems in Sweden

Type of gambler

Proportion in

the sample

Estimated number in the

population aged 16-84

No gambling problem 0 points 92.4% 6 742 900

Low risk 1-2 points 5.4% 393 700

Moderate risk 3-7 points 1.9% 140 100

Problem gambling 8+ points 0.3% 23 700

Relatives (among them children) 260000 (76000)


Gambling problems in Sweden

Type of gambler

Proportion in

the sample

Estimated number in the

population aged 16-84

No gambling problem 0 points 92.4% 6 742 900

Low risk 1-2 points 5.4% 393 700

Gambling Problems 3-8 points 2.2% 163 800

Relatives (among them children) 260 000 (76 000)

The problems for every seventh person with gambling problems are

severe enough to call for treatment


Gambling problems by gender and age

Men

10

16

1315%

20%

Women

15%

20%

33

10

5

9

4

2

1

0%

5%

10%

16-17 18-24 25-44 45-64 65-84

Low risk Gambling problems

7

6

32

5

11

122

0%

5%

10%

16-17 18-24 25-44 45-64 65-84



Gambling problems

• The proportion of people gambling during the past 12 months has decreased from 88% to 70%

• 2.2 percent of the Swedish population aged 16-84 have gambling problems and an additional 5.4 percent are considered at risk ofdeveloping gambling problems

• Gambling problems can be found in all segments of the population butare unevenly distributed in respect to gender, age and socio-economicbackgroundbackground

• Gambling problems are most frequent among people gambling over the Internet and gambling on bingo, machines, poker or casino games

• Men and women with similar patterns of gambling are at almost equalrisk of having gambling problems


Health in relation to gambling problems

Men

858683

43

54

74

60%

80%

100%

Women

60

74

81

56

68

60%

80%

100%

30

9

43

0%

20%

40%

No gambling

problems

Low risk Moderate risk Problem

gambling

Good general health Good mental health

37

0%

20%

40%

No gambling

problems

Low risk Moderate risk/

Problem

gambling

Good general health

Good mental health


Smoking and gambling problems

Men

8

13

8

10%

15%

Women

10%

15%

6

2

5

0%

5%

No smoking Smoking

occasionally

Daily smoking


4 3 3

0,5

11

0%

5%

No smoking Smoking

occasionally

Daily smoking



Alcohol consumption and gambling problems

Men

16

10%

15%

20%

Women

10%

15%

20%

5

2

8

0%

5%

10%

Not at risk Risky alcohol

consumption


3

6

11

0%

5%

10%

Not at risk Risky alcohol

consumption



Key findings gambling and health

• The mental health is worse among people with gambling

problems compared to those without gambling problems

• Men with gambling problems have worse health, drink and

smoke more than men without gambling problems

• Women with gambling problems are more lonely than

women without gambling problemswomen without gambling problems

• Internet gamblers have a somewhat better health but

smoke and drink more than those not gambling on the

Internet. Some of the differences can probably be

explained by the lower average age among the Internet

gamblers.


Problem gambling (PGSI 3+) in different clusters

2%

5%

11%

Occasional gamblers

Poker gamblers

Heavy gamblers

Social gamblers

0

1%

2%

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14%

Non gamblers

Seldom gamblers

Habitual gamblers


Gambling clusters

Occasional

gamblers

10%

Poker gamblers

5%

Heavy gamblers

9%

Non gamblers

30%

Social gamblers 5 %

Seldom gamblers

18%

Habitual gamblers

29%


Problem gamblers (PGSI 3+)

Habitual gamblers

29%Heavy gamblers

43%

Seldom gamblers

6%

Poker gamblers

11%

Occasional

gamblers

11%Social gamblers 11 %


Conclusions after EP IConclusions after EP I


Need for problem gambling prevention

• Problem gambling treatment is needed all over

the country

• Continuous need for information and

educational measures

• One target group is young men without secure • One target group is young men without secure

footing on the labour market

• Improved control of age limits

• Extended responsible gaming for casino,

poker, machines and Internet gambling


Study objectives of the first wave

• To describe gambling patterns

• To measure the extent of existing gambling problems

in Sweden

• To identify the most affected groups in society

• To investigate how gambling problems correlate with

other factors such as gambling patterns, social

situation, health and economy

• To develop enhanced measuring instruments for

gambling problems


Main differences and similarities compared to SWEGS• The proportion of people gambling during the past 12 months has

decreased from 88% to 70%

• The decrease is evident in all gambling forms except card games for men and horses for women

• There are still more men than women gambling and developing gambling problems

• Minor gambling is less frequent, but young people are still a • Minor gambling is less frequent, but young people are still a target group for gambling problems even though they gamble less than the adult population

• Gambling problems remain at the same level

• The proportion of young men, 18-24 years old, with gambling problems has doubled

• The proportion of men aged 24-44 years old with severe gambling problems has doubled


nfhk2011 jessika svensson_parallel4

Health & Medicine