Schofield Grant, Mummery Kerry, Wang Wei, Dickson Geoff
Division of Sport and Recreation, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
Aust J Rural Health. 2004 Feb;12(1):6-10. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2004.00544.x.
The purpose of the research was to provide a contemporary description of the gambling behaviours of people in Central Queensland.
The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS), a clinical diagnostic tool for identifying problem and pathological gamblers was utilised.
Central Queensland extends from Bundaberg to Mackay and west to the Queensland-Northern Territory border. The region incorporates a number of rural and regional centres and the major centres of Rockhampton, Gladstone, Mackay and Bundaberg.
Computer-aided telephone interviews were conducted with a random sample of 1029 adults.
a comparison of CQ gambling rates with national averages.
Over 90% of the population had engaged in some form of gambling activity in the past month. One point eight percent of the sample fulfilled criteria for 'problem gambling'. The prevalence of 'probable pathological gambling', was 0.8%. An additional 1% of the population were identified as being 'problem gamblers'. These rates are slightly lower than the Australian average identified by the Productivity Commission in 1999. Nonetheless, they indicate the presence of a large number of individuals affected by problem gambling.
Comparisons of these data with treatment statistics available from the regional counselling service for problem gamblers indicate that the majority of these gamblers do not seek treatment. It is clear that many gamblers with serious pathology go undetected and untreated. General practitioners are suggested as one appropriate point for screening and further referral. A whole-of-government approach to problem and pathological gambling is also advocated.
本研究旨在对昆士兰中部地区人群的赌博行为进行当代描述。
采用南奥克斯赌博筛查量表（SOGS），这是一种用于识别问题赌徒和病态赌徒的临床诊断工具。
昆士兰中部地区从班达伯格延伸至麦凯，西至昆士兰与北领地的边界。该地区包括多个农村和地区中心以及罗克汉普顿、格拉德斯通、麦凯和班达伯格等主要中心。
对1029名成年人的随机样本进行了计算机辅助电话访谈。
将昆士兰中部地区的赌博率与全国平均水平进行比较。
超过90%的人口在过去一个月内参与了某种形式的赌博活动。1.8%的样本符合“问题赌博”标准。“可能的病态赌博”患病率为0.8%。另有1%的人口被确定为“问题赌徒”。这些比率略低于生产力委员会1999年确定的澳大利亚平均水平。尽管如此，它们表明有大量个人受到问题赌博的影响。
将这些数据与地区问题赌徒咨询服务机构提供的治疗统计数据进行比较表明，这些赌徒中的大多数没有寻求治疗。显然，许多有严重病态的赌徒未被发现和治疗。建议全科医生作为筛查和进一步转诊的一个合适切入点。还提倡政府采取整体方法来应对问题赌博和病态赌博。
