Gambling and problematic gambling with money among Norwegian youth (12-18 years).
An epidemiological study was performed on a representative sample of the Norwegian youth population (12-18 years; n=3237; response rate 45.2%). The proportion that never gambled was 17.6% and a majority (57.5%) gambled seldom, whereas 24.9% gambled weekly (36.2% of the males and 13.1% of the females). In relation to problematic gambling, the results showed that 1.76% had pathological gambling (2.79% in men and 0.69% in females) and 3.46% "at-risk" gambling. Problematic gambling (pathological gambling plus "at-risk" gambling) was 5.22% (7.82% of the males and 2.52% of the females). The group gambling frequently (at least weekly) was used to calculate pathological gambling and "at-risk" gambling. This resulted in high values, with 7.08% with pathological gambling (7.69% of males and 5.31% of females) and an additional 13.91% with "at-risk" gambling. The DSM-IV, with only 10 questions, gives a conservative estimate of pathological gambling. Slot machines proved the most popular game with 81.8%, followed by football tip (70.8%), Lotto (68.7%) and lotteries (39.4%). When it comes to problematic and pathological gambling, Lotto ranked high compared to other plays that were used more frequently.
Johansson
Agneta
A
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Medicine, Norweigian University of Science and Technology, Ostmarka Hospital, Tronheim, Norway. agneta.johansson@medisin.ntnu.no
Götestam
K Gunnar
KG
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence