Problem Gambling and Sexual Minority Individuals: Evaluating Influence of Age and Comorbid Mental Health and Substance Use Problems

TY - JOUR

T1 - Problem Gambling and Sexual Minority Individuals

T2 - Evaluating Influence of Age and Comorbid Mental Health and Substance Use Problems

AU - Stanmyre, Jackie F.

AU - Nower, Lia

AU - Malkin, Michelle L.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2023.

PY - 2024/6

Y1 - 2024/6

N2 - Little is known about the prevalence of problem gambling among sexual minority individuals. The present study utilized an epidemiological sample, including individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, and pansexual, to explore gambling behavior and problems and associated mental health and comorbid conditions that may contribute to elevated risk. Bivariate comparisons found that sexual minority individuals had higher rates of problem gambling, alcohol and substance use problems, anxiety, depression, and a wide range of problem behaviors (e.g., binge eating, prostitution, excessive video gaming) than heterosexuals. In a logistic regression, age moderated the relationship between sexual minority status and problem gambling, such that the risk for high-risk problem gambling increased with age for sexual minority individuals while it decreased for heterosexuals. Additionally, a logistic regression of sexual minority individuals who gamble found anxiety (OR = 3.80, 95% CI = 1.03, 13.97) and drug problems (OR = 8.57, 95% CI = 1.79, 41.05) predicted high-risk problem gambling. Findings suggest that prevention and screening protocols are needed in systems accessed by sexual minority individuals, particularly those middle age and older, as well as in settings where anxiety and substance use disorders are treated.

AB - Little is known about the prevalence of problem gambling among sexual minority individuals. The present study utilized an epidemiological sample, including individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, and pansexual, to explore gambling behavior and problems and associated mental health and comorbid conditions that may contribute to elevated risk. Bivariate comparisons found that sexual minority individuals had higher rates of problem gambling, alcohol and substance use problems, anxiety, depression, and a wide range of problem behaviors (e.g., binge eating, prostitution, excessive video gaming) than heterosexuals. In a logistic regression, age moderated the relationship between sexual minority status and problem gambling, such that the risk for high-risk problem gambling increased with age for sexual minority individuals while it decreased for heterosexuals. Additionally, a logistic regression of sexual minority individuals who gamble found anxiety (OR = 3.80, 95% CI = 1.03, 13.97) and drug problems (OR = 8.57, 95% CI = 1.79, 41.05) predicted high-risk problem gambling. Findings suggest that prevention and screening protocols are needed in systems accessed by sexual minority individuals, particularly those middle age and older, as well as in settings where anxiety and substance use disorders are treated.

KW - Addiction

KW - LGBTQ+

KW - Mental health

KW - Problem gambling

KW - Risk factors

KW - Sexual minorities

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85176751801

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85176751801#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1007/s10899-023-10264-5

DO - 10.1007/s10899-023-10264-5

M3 - Article

C2 - 37978097

SN - 1050-5350

VL - 40

SP - 957

EP - 969

JO - Journal of Gambling Studies

JF - Journal of Gambling Studies

IS - 2

ER -