2010 Conference - Gambling in Diverse Populations (Blanco)
1. Disordered gambling among
racial and ethnic groups
CARLOS BLANCO, M.D., PH.D.
COLUMBIA GAMBLING DISORDERS CLINIC,
NEW YORK STATE PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY,
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
2. Acknowledgments
NIH grants DA019606, DA023200, MH082773
New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance
Abuse Services (OASAS)
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
New York State Psychiatric Institute
4. The present study…
Is the first national study to focus on racial/ ethnic
differences in gambling disorders
Investigates the prevalence and conditional
prevalence of gambling disorders
Compares sociodemographic and clinical
characteristics among disordered gamblers from
racial/ethnic groups
6. 2001-2002 NESARC Sample
Nationally representative sample of 43,093
individuals
18+ years old
Residing in the continental US, district of Columbia,
Alaska and Hawaii
Non-institutionalized civilians
Face-to-face interviews
7. NESARC Assessment
NIAAA Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated
Disabilities Interview Schedule –DSM-IV version
(AUADIS-IV)
Symptom questions that operazionalized DSM-IV
criteria for :
Nicotine dependence
Alcohol and drug abuse and dependence
Mood, anxiety and personality disorders
Number of medical conditions, Number of stressful
life events (SRRS) and Disability score (SF-12V2)
8. Disordered gambling in the NESARC
All respondents who had gambled 5 or more times in
at least 1 year of their life (N=11,153) were asked
about the symptoms of DSM-IV pathological
gambling
Disordered gamblers: Individuals meeting at least 3
criteria for DSM-IV pathological gambling (PG)
Gambling venues, course and treatment measures
assessed only among pathological gamblers
14. Psychopathology rates and disability
Note: Only significant differences from non-Hispanic Whites are shown
15. PG criteria, course and venues of gambling
preferred
Mean number of DSM-IV PG criteria: 6.4
Mean age of PG onset: 31 years old
Mean age of PG remission: 37 years old
36.7% did not meet criteria for PG in the last year
71% are engaged in casino gambling and 53% in non-
casino gambling
No differences across racial/ethnic groups were found
Note: Assessed only among pathological gamblers (N=195)
16. Treatment seeking rates
No differences across racial/ethnic groups were found
Note: Assessed only among pathological gamblers (N=195)
18. Limitations
Assessment of pathological and disordered gambling
were based on self-report
NESARC does not provide information on
adolescents
Native Americans and Asians were combined into
one group
Analyses of gambling correlates were conducted only
among pathological gamblers
19. Conclusions
Prevalence of disordered gambling differs across
racial/ethnic groups
Blacks and Hispanics face increased socioeconomic
adversity than non-Hispanic Whites
Despite social adversity, Black and Hispanics are less
likely to present substance use disorders.
Similarities in symptom patterns, course and
treatment seeking rates suggest no racial or cultural
impact on the presentation of pathological gambling
20. Funding and Support
NESARC was sponsored and conducted by NIAAA
and supported by NIDA
This research was also supported by NIH and AFSP
grants and the NYSPI