If you drink a third of a bottle of spirits a day, or its equivalent, and sustain this rate of co... more If you drink a third of a bottle of spirits a day, or its equivalent, and sustain this rate of consumption for a number of years, say 10, you will probably show signs of mental deterioration. If you drink less heavily or consistently, and spread the exercise over a few more years, you will show similar deterioration, though perhaps less markedly and not so soon in life. This is not a new phenomena. Alcohol has been consumed in the majority of human societies since the beginning of recorded history. Neither is it one which passed unnoticed to earlier observers of the human condition. Shakespeare, through the words of one of his immortal characters exclaimed:
Abstract In New Zealand, a pop-up message feature that interrupts gambling is mandatory on all el... more Abstract In New Zealand, a pop-up message feature that interrupts gambling is mandatory on all electronic gaming machines (EGMs) in all venues. The present research documented the views and experiences of pop-up messages from a range of gamblers and gambling venue staff. A series of focus groups was held with 40 gamblers (ranging from infrequent gamblers to current/former problem gamblers), and 19 staff from casino and non-casino venues. Most participants thought that pop-up messages were ineffective as a harm-minimization measure. Venue staff participants viewed pop-up messages much more negatively than gamblers, who were generally accepting of their existence and sometimes described them as useful. Venue staff participants were also very negative about the additional hassles and confusion they believed to be caused by pop-up messages, and a range of problems they perceived with their accuracy. Nonetheless, there was a consistent although less prevalent view that pop-up messages were useful in reducing gambling harm and potentially bringing harmful gamblers to the attention of others. Participants raised some possibilities for enhancing their effectiveness; these were generally consistent with the evidence base developed since the introduction of pop-up messages in the New Zealand gambling environment.
Aim: To survey GPs' attitudes towards problem gamblers and knowledge to successfully intervene. M... more Aim: To survey GPs' attitudes towards problem gamblers and knowledge to successfully intervene. Methods: 100 GPs, randomly selected for gender and geographical distribution, were anonymously surveyed by questionnaire through the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. Results: 80 GPs responded (80% of those surveyed). There was strong support (85%) for problem gambling being within a GP's mandate, for involvement in treatment of problem gambling (72%) and for their having a role in supporting a family where a member has a gambling problem (80%). There was less confidence in: raising the issue of gambling with patients (53%), in knowledge of resources (38%) and in having the necessary training to intervene (19%). Conclusions: GPs see problem gambling as a legitimate role for their intervention, however, they have concerns around their competency and knowledge of resources. The provision of undergraduate and postgraduate training may assist to remove barriers to an accepted role in primary health.
Commercial use of this document is prohibited without written consent from the Gambling Research ... more Commercial use of this document is prohibited without written consent from the Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO).
A community survey of 271 Chinese migrants aged 15 years and older living in Auckland was conduct... more A community survey of 271 Chinese migrants aged 15 years and older living in Auckland was conducted to assess self-rated adjustment and health. The majority of respondents came from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Despite significant changes in their lives, including the absence of family members, unemployment and underemployment, most did not report major adjustment problems or regret having come to New Zealand. Few considered their health to be poor. Forty-two per cent reported having consulted a doctor within the past 12 weeks. Factors significantly associated with having experienced major problems included being aged 26-35 years, rejection from locals and having low English proficiency. Factors associated with poor adjustment included expectations not having been met, regretting coming, low proficiency in English, recent arrival in New Zealand, unemployment, younger age and lower levels of education. Self-rated fair or poor health was found to be associated with Chinese-only reading knowledge, residency of more than 5 years and regretting having come to New Zealand.
This paper reports on the preparedness of pathological gamblers to seek help through a new nation... more This paper reports on the preparedness of pathological gamblers to seek help through a new national toll-free telephone hotline and compares these callers, on some key dimensions, with a representative sample of pathological gamblers living in the community. Callers were assessed using standard diagnostic screens. Sociodemographic data and reported symptoms of stress and depression were also recorded. Callers identified as pathological gamblers were compared with their counterparts in a recent nationwide epidemiological survey. During the first 3 months of operation, 1506 calls were received from 329 callers. Of these 167 were pathological gamblers, 117 were partners or family members and 45 were from various agencies. Pathological gamblers contacting the hotline resembled those from the community survey with respect to gender and age. Maori and Pacific Islanders were underrepresented. Suicidal ideation was reported by over 90% of pathological gambler callers. The new service provid...
If you drink a third of a bottle of spirits a day, or its equivalent, and sustain this rate of co... more If you drink a third of a bottle of spirits a day, or its equivalent, and sustain this rate of consumption for a number of years, say 10, you will probably show signs of mental deterioration. If you drink less heavily or consistently, and spread the exercise over a few more years, you will show similar deterioration, though perhaps less markedly and not so soon in life. This is not a new phenomena. Alcohol has been consumed in the majority of human societies since the beginning of recorded history. Neither is it one which passed unnoticed to earlier observers of the human condition. Shakespeare, through the words of one of his immortal characters exclaimed:
Abstract In New Zealand, a pop-up message feature that interrupts gambling is mandatory on all el... more Abstract In New Zealand, a pop-up message feature that interrupts gambling is mandatory on all electronic gaming machines (EGMs) in all venues. The present research documented the views and experiences of pop-up messages from a range of gamblers and gambling venue staff. A series of focus groups was held with 40 gamblers (ranging from infrequent gamblers to current/former problem gamblers), and 19 staff from casino and non-casino venues. Most participants thought that pop-up messages were ineffective as a harm-minimization measure. Venue staff participants viewed pop-up messages much more negatively than gamblers, who were generally accepting of their existence and sometimes described them as useful. Venue staff participants were also very negative about the additional hassles and confusion they believed to be caused by pop-up messages, and a range of problems they perceived with their accuracy. Nonetheless, there was a consistent although less prevalent view that pop-up messages were useful in reducing gambling harm and potentially bringing harmful gamblers to the attention of others. Participants raised some possibilities for enhancing their effectiveness; these were generally consistent with the evidence base developed since the introduction of pop-up messages in the New Zealand gambling environment.
Aim: To survey GPs' attitudes towards problem gamblers and knowledge to successfully intervene. M... more Aim: To survey GPs' attitudes towards problem gamblers and knowledge to successfully intervene. Methods: 100 GPs, randomly selected for gender and geographical distribution, were anonymously surveyed by questionnaire through the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. Results: 80 GPs responded (80% of those surveyed). There was strong support (85%) for problem gambling being within a GP's mandate, for involvement in treatment of problem gambling (72%) and for their having a role in supporting a family where a member has a gambling problem (80%). There was less confidence in: raising the issue of gambling with patients (53%), in knowledge of resources (38%) and in having the necessary training to intervene (19%). Conclusions: GPs see problem gambling as a legitimate role for their intervention, however, they have concerns around their competency and knowledge of resources. The provision of undergraduate and postgraduate training may assist to remove barriers to an accepted role in primary health.
Commercial use of this document is prohibited without written consent from the Gambling Research ... more Commercial use of this document is prohibited without written consent from the Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO).
A community survey of 271 Chinese migrants aged 15 years and older living in Auckland was conduct... more A community survey of 271 Chinese migrants aged 15 years and older living in Auckland was conducted to assess self-rated adjustment and health. The majority of respondents came from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Despite significant changes in their lives, including the absence of family members, unemployment and underemployment, most did not report major adjustment problems or regret having come to New Zealand. Few considered their health to be poor. Forty-two per cent reported having consulted a doctor within the past 12 weeks. Factors significantly associated with having experienced major problems included being aged 26-35 years, rejection from locals and having low English proficiency. Factors associated with poor adjustment included expectations not having been met, regretting coming, low proficiency in English, recent arrival in New Zealand, unemployment, younger age and lower levels of education. Self-rated fair or poor health was found to be associated with Chinese-only reading knowledge, residency of more than 5 years and regretting having come to New Zealand.
This paper reports on the preparedness of pathological gamblers to seek help through a new nation... more This paper reports on the preparedness of pathological gamblers to seek help through a new national toll-free telephone hotline and compares these callers, on some key dimensions, with a representative sample of pathological gamblers living in the community. Callers were assessed using standard diagnostic screens. Sociodemographic data and reported symptoms of stress and depression were also recorded. Callers identified as pathological gamblers were compared with their counterparts in a recent nationwide epidemiological survey. During the first 3 months of operation, 1506 calls were received from 329 callers. Of these 167 were pathological gamblers, 117 were partners or family members and 45 were from various agencies. Pathological gamblers contacting the hotline resembled those from the community survey with respect to gender and age. Maori and Pacific Islanders were underrepresented. Suicidal ideation was reported by over 90% of pathological gambler callers. The new service provid...
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