title: Does legalized gambling elevate the risk of suicide? An analysis of U.S. counties and metropolitan areas.
abstract: This study addresses a possible link between suicide and casino gambling. Resident suicide rates are analyzed for (a) a 1990 cross-section of 148 U.S. metropolitan areas and (b) before and after the advent of legalized casinos in five U.S. counties. Data are drawn from government and gaming industry sources. In cross-section, metro area suicide is strongly correlated with region, accidental death and homicide rates, age and race composition, and economic vitality, followed by a modest net positive correlation with casino presence. By contrast, the time series analysis yields no evidence of a gambling effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Analysis and Design, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine 92697-7070, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McCleary
authors.forename: Kenneth S Y
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Napolitano
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D012306:Risk; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology