The elderly and gambling: an empirical research on awareness, habits and risk factors among a population over 65 years of age using the Senior Problem Gambling Questionnaire (SPGQ)

The empirical research has recently focused attention on pathological and non pathological gambling among elderly population, showing a complex phenomenon sustained by several aspects which include sociological, psychological and biological determinants. Nevertheless, there no studies in literature which explore gambling habits in an Italian population over 65 years of age. In line with the previous aim, an author of the current work built a 9-item self-report instrument called Senior Problem Gambling Questionnaire (SPGQ). SPGQ mainly explores two different aspects of gambling in elderly population: a) level of awareness related to negative consequences associated with gambling; b) severity of gambling behaviors.  SPGQ was administered to 387 subjects. 353 individuals completed the screening evaluation. Gender was homogeneously distributed among subjects. 85.6% of sample showed good level of negative consequences awareness associated with gambling. 22.2% of subjects affirmed to engage in gambling behaviors at least once a week. 4.4% of individuals affirmatively answered to both pathological gambling items. Although men seemed to engage in gambling behaviors more frequently than women, gender was homogeneously distributed among individuals who engage in gambling behaviors at least two times a week.  Eventually, this is the first study that shows a modest albeit epidemiologic relevant portion of Italian individuals over 65 years of age which might be pathological gamblers.

Keywords: gambling; older adults; SPGQ; awareness; risk; problematic behavior

Annalisa Pistuddi, Paola Broggi, Marco Cavicchioli, Alfio Lucchini, Anziani e gioco d'azzardo: una ricerca su consapevolezza, abitudini e rischi tra gli over 65 anni con il Senior Problem Gambling Questionnaire (SPGQ) in "MISSION" 48/2016, pp , DOI: 10.3280/mis48-2016oa4686