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Moderate to severe gambling problems and traumatic brain injury: A population-based study

2018; Elsevier BV; Volume: 272; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.psychres.2018.12.170

1872-7123

Nigel E. Turner, André J. McDonald, Anca Ialomiteanu, Robert E. Mann, John McCready, Dov B. Millstone, Hayley A. Hamilton, Tara Elton‐Marshall, Jürgen Rehm, Paul Kurdyak, G. Ilie, Christine M. Wickens, Thao Le, Mark van der Maas, Neda Faregh, Steven Cook, Susan J. Bondy, Sherald Sanchez, Michael D. Cusimano,

Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common injury characterized by a change in brain function after an external blow to the head and is associated with substance abuse, psychological distress, risk-taking, and impulsivity. Convenience and clinical samples have also linked TBI to problem gambling, but have not ruled out confounding variables such as hazardous drinking and psychological distress. This study examines the relationship between TBI and moderate to severe problem gambling in a general population probability sample controlling for hazardous drinking and psychological distress. The data were obtained from a 2015–2016 cross-sectional general population telephone survey of adults ages 18+from Ontario, Canada (N = 3809). Logistic regression was used to estimate the association as adjusted odds ratios (AOR). Moderate to severe problem gambling was independently associated with a history of TBI after adjusting for potential confounders (AOR: 2.80), and had a statistically significant relationship with psychological distress (AOR = 2.74), hazardous drinking (AOR = 2.69), and lower educational levels (AOR = 0.37). This study provides further data to suggest a link between TBI and moderate to severe problem gambling; however, more research is needed to determine if there is a causal relationship or the potential implications for prevention and treatment.