Heather Wardle

Sociodemographic Correlates of Internet Gambling: Findings from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey

This study provides the first analysis ever made of a representative national sample of Internet gamblers. Using participant data from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey (n = 9,003 adults aged 16 years and over), all participants who had gambled online, bet online, and/or used a betting exchange in the last 12 months (n = 476) were compared with all other gamblers who had not gambled via the Internet. Overall, results showed a number of significant sociodemographic differences between Internet gamblers and non-Internet gamblers. When compared to non-Internet gamblers, Internet gamblers were more likely to be male, relatively young adults, single, well educated, and in professional/managerial employment. Further analysis of DSM-IV scores showed that the problem gambling prevalence rate was significantly higher among Internet gamblers than among non-Internet gamblers. Results suggest that the medium of the Internet may be more likely to contribute to problem gambling than gambling in offline environments.

Defining the online gambler and patterns of behaviour integration: evidence from the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2010

This paper presents data from the British Gambling Prevalence Survey (BGPS) 2010, a large-scale random probability survey of adults (n = 7756), to examine how people gamble and ways in which online and offline gambling are integrated. Fourteen per cent of respondents were past year Internet gamblers (7% if purchase of lottery tickets online is excluded). The majority of online gamblers were also offline gamblers and a broader taxonomy of gambling subgroups was evident. This included those who chose different mediums of access for different activities and those who gambled online and offline on the same activity (mixed mode gamblers). These mixed mode gamblers had the highest rates of gambling involvement and higher problem gambling prevalence rates. Direct comparisons between Internet and non-Internet gamblers therefore ignore key questions of how people integrate online provisions with offline activities which may have important implications for our understanding of the relative risks associated with online gambling.

PGSI and DSM-IV in the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey: reliability, item response, factor structure and inter-scale agreement

Data from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey were used to examine the psychometric properties of the two problem gambling scales used in the survey: the Canadian Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and a DSM-IV-based scale. Analysis was based on those who reported any gambling in the past 12 months (between 5483 and 5528 participants for most analyses). The PGSI gave evidence of high internal reliability, uni-dimensionality, and good item-response characteristics. Several PGSI items showed extreme male to female endorsement ratios and a possible conclusion is that the PGSI is under-estimating the prevalence of problem gambling among women. The DSM-IV-based scale showed only satisfactory internal reliability, evidence suggesting bi-dimensionality, and poor performance of at least two items: those relating to gambling-related crime and ‘chasing losses’. The results also suggest that, for population survey purposes, problem gambling/non-problem gambling might best be viewed as lying on a continuum.

Negative public attitudes towards gambling: findings from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey using a new attitude scale

A new 14-item scale of general attitudes towards gambling (the Attitudes Towards Gambling Scale: ATGS) was developed for use in the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey. The development of the scale is described. Based on the responses of a representative sample of 8880 people of 16 years of age or more, evidence is presented of good internal reliability and statistically significant associations with a range of socio-demographic, own and family gambling and lifestyle variables. Overall, and in all sub-groups except the heaviest gamblers, attitudes were found to be negative: more people believed that gambling is foolish and dangerous, and of greater harm than benefit to families, communities and society as a whole, than the reverse. The majority, however, were against prohibition of gambling. Public opinion appears to be out of line with the view of gambling in Britain that lay behind the 2005 Gambling Act. It will be of interest to see whether attitudes change in the forthcoming years. The ATGS is a suitable measure for use in future surveys in the UK and in other English speaking countries.

Did smokefree legislation in England reduce exposure to secondhand smoke among nonsmoking adults? Cotinine analysis from the health survey for England

Background On 1 July 2007, smokefree legislation was implemented in England, which made virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces smokefree. Objectives We examined trends in and predictors of secondhand smoke exposure among nonsmoking adults to determine whether exposure changed after the introduction of smokefree legislation and whether these changes varied by socioeconomic status (SES) and by household smoking status. Methods We analyzed salivary cotinine data from the Health Survey for England that were collected in 7 of 11 annual surveys undertaken between 1998 and 2008. We conducted multivariate regression analyses to examine secondhand smoke exposure as measured by the proportion of nonsmokers with undetectable levels of cotinine and by geometric mean cotinine. Results Secondhand smoke exposure was higher among those exposed at home and among lower-SES groups. Exposure declined markedly from 1998 to 2008 (the proportion of participants with undetectable cotinine was 2.9 times higher in the last 6 months of 2008 compared with the first 6 months of 1998 and geometric mean cotinine declined by 80%). We observed a significant fall in exposure after legislation was introduced—the odds of having undetectable cotinine were 1.5 times higher [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3, 1.8] and geometric mean cotinine fell by 27% (95% CI: 17%, 36%) after adjusting for the prelegislative trend and potential confounders. Significant reductions were not, however, seen in those living in lower-social class households or homes where smoking occurs inside on most days. Conclusions We found that the impact of England’s smokefree legislation on secondhand smoke exposure was above and beyond the underlying long-term decline in secondhand smoke exposure and demonstrates the positive effect of the legislation. Nevertheless, some population subgroups appear not to have benefitted significantly from the legislation. This finding suggests that these groups should receive more support to reduce their exposure.

Gambling, alcohol, consumption, cigarette smoking and health: Findings from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey

Previous research has shown an association between gambling, alcohol and cigarette smoking. Co-occurrence of problem gambling with other behavioural and psychological disorders can exacerbate, or be exacerbated by, problem gambling. Using participant data from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey (n = 9003 adults aged 16 years and above), secondary analysis was carried out on the relationship between gambling and three particular areas of co-occurrence. These were general health status, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. All analysis was age standardised to allow comparisons between groups after adjusting for the effects of any difference in their age distributions. Results showed that: (i) cigarette smokers were significantly more likely to gamble in the past year compared to non-smokers, (ii) cigarette smokers were over three times more likely than non-smokers to be a problem gambler, (iii) alcohol consumption as measured by the number of units drunk on the persons heaviest drinking day was not significantly associated with having gambled in the past year, (iv) alcohol consumption as measured by the number of units drank on the persons heaviest drinking day in the past year was significantly associated with problem gambling, (v) health status was not significantly associated with past year gambling and (vi) the prevalence rate of problem gambling among those with poor health were over three times as likely to be a problem gambler compared to those with good health. Implications of these results are discussed.

What proportion of gambling is problem gambling? Estimates from the 2010 British Gambling Prevalence Survey

The paper reports secondary analysis of data from the 2010 British Gambling Prevalence Survey, a household survey of a representative sample of the population aged 16 years and over (N = 7756). Responses to questions about frequency of gambling and average monthly spend on each of 15 forms of gambling, and responses to two different problem gambling screens (DSM-IV and PGSI), were used to derive estimates, for each form of gambling separately, of the percentage of (1) all days play (two estimates), and (2) all spend (four estimates), attributable to problem gamblers. Although these estimates must be treated as approximations only, they demonstrate that problem gamblers make a far greater contribution to total gambling attendances and losses than problem gambling prevalence figures would suggest. There are certain forms of British gambling to which problem gamblers may be contributing as much as 20–30% of all days play and spend, and moderate risk gamblers a possible further 10–20%.

The role of social factors in gambling: evidence from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey

Using data from the 2007 British Gambling Prevalence Survey, relationships were explored between gambling variables and each of the three key indices of a persons social position, controlling for age and sex. Personal income was found to be positively and linearly related to gambling prevalence, to number of gambling activities engaged in, and to positive attitudes towards gambling; household occupational category was significantly associated with prevalence and frequency of gambling, with problem or moderate risk gambling, and with attitudes towards gambling (managerial and professional, and intermediate, categories obtained lower values than other categories on each of those variables); area deprivation was significantly positively and linearly related to frequency and volume of gambling and to reports of close relatives having gambling problems. The analyses presented here, whilst primarily exploratory, suggest that future surveys should go further towards examining gambling issues as ones of family and community significance.

Gambling in Britain: A Time of Change? Health Implications from the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2010

Gambling-related harm is a term that is being increasingly used in British policy circles to describe the negative impacts of gambling across a range of areas. It includes focus on the health and psychological impact on the individual but also has more comprehensive reach moving beyond the directly-affected gambler to include their families, wider social networks and community (Responsible Gambling Strategy Board 2010). The social and health costs of problem gambling are potentially large at both individual and societal levels. For instance, adverse health consequences for problem gamblers and their partners include depression, anxiety, insomnia, gastric/intestinal disorders, migraine, and other stress-related disorders (Griffiths 2004). In the UK, monitoring levels of gambling-related harm have focused on measuring the prevalence of problem gambling and estimating how many problem gamblers there are. However, from a public health perspective, this is inadequate. Not only does it fail to recognise the multiplier effect of impact associated with problem gambling, it also does not recognise a further important group of people; those at-risk of developing gambling problems. Int J Ment Health Addiction (2012) 10:273–277 DOI 10.1007/s11469-011-9319-4

Under-reporting of tobacco use among Bangladeshi women in England

BACKGROUND This study investigates the prevalence of under-reported use of tobacco among Bangladeshi women and the characteristics of this group. METHODS The 1999 and 2004 Health Survey for England included 996 Bangladeshi women aged 16 years and above, 302 with a valid saliva sample and 694 without. The main outcome measure was the prevalence of under-reported tobacco use. RESULTS Fifteen per cent of Bangladeshi women with a saliva sample under-reported their personal tobacco use. Under-reporters were very similar to self-reported users except for being much more likely to report chewing paan without tobacco (47% versus 9%, P < 0.001). Under-reporters differed significantly from cotinine-validated non-users in most respects. Regression analyses confirmed that under-reporters and self-reported users were similar in age, education level and exposure to passive smoking. Under-reporters were older and less educated than cotinine-validated non-users. Both self-reported users [odds ratio (OR): 0.11, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04-0.30] and cotinine-validated non-users (OR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.20-0.89) were far less likely to report chewing paan without tobacco compared with under-reporters. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to our a priori hypothesis, under-reporters were not young, British-born, English-speaking women likely to be concealing smoking but resembled self-reported tobacco users except for being much more likely to report chewing paan without tobacco.