title: Gambling in the Landscape of Adversity in Youth: Reflections from Men Who Live with Poverty and Homelessness.
abstract: Most of the research on gambling behaviour among youth has been quantitative and focused on measuring prevalence. As a result, little is known about the contextual experiences of youth gambling, particularly among those most vulnerable. In this paper, we explore the previous experiences of youth gambling in a sample of adult men experiencing housing instability and problem gambling. We present findings from a qualitative study on problem gambling and housing instability conducted in Toronto, Canada. Thirty men with histories of problem or pathological gambling and housing instability or homelessness were interviewed. Two thirds of these men reported that they began gambling in youth. Five representative cases were selected and the main themes discussed. We found that gambling began in early life while the men, as youth, were also experiencing adversity (e.g., physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse, neglect, housing instability, homelessness, substance addiction and poverty). Men reported they had access to gambling activity through their family and wider networks of school, community and the streets. Gambling provided a way to gain acceptance, escape from emotional pain, and/or earn money. For these men problematic gambling behaviour that began in youth, continued into adulthood.
authors: Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada. hamiltons@smh.ca.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Hamilton-Wright
authors: Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada. woodhallmelj@smh.ca.|Department of Health, Aging, and Society, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON L8S 4M4, Canada. woodhallmelj@smh.ca.
authors: Julia
authors: J
authors: Woodhall-Melnik
authors: Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada. sara.guilcher@utoronto.ca.|Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada. sara.guilcher@utoronto.ca.|Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada. sara.guilcher@utoronto.ca.
authors: Sara J T
authors: SJ
authors: Guilcher
authors: Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada. schulera@smh.ca.
authors: Andrée
authors: A
authors: Schuler
authors: Good Shepherd Ministries, 412 Queen St E., Toronto, ON M5A 1T3, Canada. aklilu@goodshepherd.ca.
authors: Aklilu
authors: A
authors: Wendaferew
authors: Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada. hwangs@smh.ca.
authors: Stephen W
authors: SW
authors: Hwang
authors: Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada. mathesonf@smh.ca.|Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada. mathesonf@smh.ca.|Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada. mathesonf@smh.ca.
authors: Flora I
authors: FI
authors: Matheson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005715:Gambling / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: case study; complex needs; homelessness; problem gambling; qualitative; trauma; youth