title: Prevalence and predictors of pathological gambling: results from the St. Louis personality, health and lifestyle (SLPHL) study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report the prevalence of and risk and protective factors for DSM-IV sub-threshold gambling (1-4 criteria) and pathological gambling disorder (PGD; 5-10 criteria) in a non-clinical household sample of St. Louis area gamblers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of the 7689 individuals contacted via Random Digit Dialing, 3292 were screened eligible. Of these, 1142 from households in 6 contiguous regions in Missouri and Illinois consented to participate and were mailed a St. Louis Area Personality, Health, and Lifestyle (SLPHL) Survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post-stratification weighted data (n=913) indicate lifetime prevalence rates of 12.4% sub-threshold and 2.5% PGD (conditional prevalence=21.5% and 4.3% respectively). Risk and protective factors for gambling severity varied in the sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Targeted prevention messages are warranted specifically for gamblers of varying risk for PGD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 40 N. Kingshighway, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA. cunning@epi.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Renee M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cunningham-Williams
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Grucza
authors.forename: Linda B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Cottler
authors.forename: Sharon B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Womack
authors.forename: Samantha J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Books
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Przybeck
authors.forename: Edward L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Spitznagel
authors.forename: C Robert
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cloninger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D010551:Personality; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders