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Motivators for Seeking Gambling-Related Treatment Among Ontario Problem Gamblers

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Abstract

A random digit dialing telephone survey was used to interview 8,467 adults in Ontario, Canada. The NODS-CLiP was used to identify a representative sample of 730 gamblers (54.3% male, mean age 45.3 years) with possible past year gambling problems in order to explore factors that might affect disordered gamblers’ motivators for seeking gambling-related help. A final sample of 526 gamblers provided useable data on possible reasons for and barriers to seeking help, awareness of services, self-perception of gambling problems and experience with help-seeking. Financial and relationship issues were the most frequently volunteered motivators. However, over two-thirds of the respondents could not think of a reason for seeking help. Gamblers who had self-admitted or more severe problems, who knew how to get help, who were employed and had more education, and who identified possible barriers to seeking help were more likely to suggest motivators, especially financial ones. More research is recommended on gamblers’ trajectory towards recognition of a gambling problem, the process of overcoming specific barriers to treatment, and the role of social advantage (e.g., education and employment), in order to devise educational campaigns that will encourage earlier help-seeking among disordered gamblers.

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Notes

  1. For the samples described in the Pulford et al. 2009b study, the findings on barriers to seeking treatment are described in a separate paper (Pulford et al. 2009a).

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre, Guelph, Ontario. In addition, support to CAMH for salary of scientists and infrastructure has been provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. The telephone interviews in this study were conducted by staff of the Institute of Social Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Suite T527, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S1, Canada

    Helen Suurvali & John A. Cunningham

  2. University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    David C. Hodgins

  3. University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Tony Toneatto & John A. Cunningham

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  1. Helen Suurvali
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  2. David C. Hodgins
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  3. Tony Toneatto
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Correspondence to Helen Suurvali.

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Suurvali, H., Hodgins, D.C., Toneatto, T. et al. Motivators for Seeking Gambling-Related Treatment Among Ontario Problem Gamblers. J Gambl Stud 28, 273–296 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10899-011-9268-7

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