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Gender differences in the associations between past-year gambling problems and psychiatric disorders

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Psychiatric disorders frequently co-occur with pathological gambling. The extent to which co-occurence extends to subsyndromal levels of gambling or differs between women and men is incompletely understood.

Aim

To examine whether the association between psychiatric disorders and past-year gambling problems is stronger in women than men.

Methods

Data from the national epidemiological survey of alcoholism and related disorders (NESARC) (n = 43,093) were analyzed.

Results

Increasing severity of past-year gambling problems was associated with increasing odds of most past-year Axis I and lifetime Axis II disorders, regardless of gender. Associations between gambling problems and major depression, dysthymia, panic disorder, and nicotine dependence were statistically stronger in women than in men.

Conclusions

A severity-related association exists between past-year gambling problems and psychiatric disorders. The stronger associations in women suggest that gambling research, prevention and treatment efforts consider gender differences.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Veteran’s Administration Hospital Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC VISN 1), and Women’s Health Research at Yale.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Psychiatry and Women and Addictive Disorders, Core of Women’s Health Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Rani A. Desai PhD, MPH & Marc N. Potenza MD, PhD

  2. NEPEC/182, VA CT Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA

    Rani A. Desai PhD, MPH

Authors
  1. Rani A. Desai PhD, MPH
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  2. Marc N. Potenza MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rani A. Desai PhD, MPH.

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Desai, R.A., Potenza, M.N. Gender differences in the associations between past-year gambling problems and psychiatric disorders. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 43, 173–183 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0283-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-007-0283-z

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