Burge Alesia N, Pietrzak Robert H, Molina Cheryl A, Petry Nancy M
Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3944, USA.
Psychiatr Serv. 2004 Dec;55(12):1437-9. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.55.12.1437.
This study examined the relationship between age at first gambling experience and severity of gambling and related problems among older adult problem gamblers. Fifty-two problem gamblers over the age of 65 years completed self-report instruments that assessed gambling problems as well as the Short Form 36 health survey. The median age at first gambling experience was 21 years. Compared with gamblers who had a late onset of gambling, those with an early onset wagered more frequently and had more severe medical and psychiatric problems. These data suggest that gambling that begins in adolescence may be associated with an elevated severity of problems throughout the life span among older adult problem gamblers.
本研究调查了老年问题赌徒首次赌博经历的年龄与赌博及相关问题严重程度之间的关系。52名65岁以上的问题赌徒完成了自我报告工具，这些工具评估了赌博问题以及简短健康调查问卷36项版本。首次赌博经历的中位年龄为21岁。与赌博起始较晚的赌徒相比，起始较早的赌徒赌博频率更高，且有更严重的医疗和精神问题。这些数据表明，青少年时期开始的赌博可能与老年问题赌徒一生中问题严重程度的升高有关。
