Prevalence and predictors of pathological gambling: results from the St. Louis personality, health and lifestyle (SLPHL) study.
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.
Cunningham-Williams
Renee M
RM
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 40 N. Kingshighway, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA. cunning@epi.wustl.edu
Grucza
Richard A
RA
Cottler
Linda B
LB
Womack
Sharon B
SB
Books
Samantha J
SJ
Przybeck
Thomas R
TR
Spitznagel
Edward L
EL
Cloninger
C Robert
CR
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