Gambling problem severity and psychiatric disorders among Hispanic and white adults: findings from a nationally representative sample.

OBJECTIVE

To examine differences in the associations of gambling problem severity and psychiatric disorders among a nationally representative sample of Hispanic and white adults.

METHOD

Chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed on data obtained from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions from 31,830 adult respondents (13% Hispanic; 87% white), who were categorized according to three levels of gambling problem severity (i.e., no gambling or low-frequency gambling [NG], low-risk or at-risk gambling [LRG], problem or pathological gambling [PPG]).

RESULTS

Hispanic respondents in comparison to white respondents were more likely to exhibit PPG. Problem gambling severity was associated with past-year Axis I and lifetime Axis II psychiatric disorders in both Hispanic and white respondents, with the largest odds typically observed in association with the most severe gambling pathology. A stronger relationship between subsyndromal gambling and a broad range of Axis I disorders (mood, anxiety and substance use disorders) and Axis II disorders (particularly cluster B) was observed in Hispanic respondents as compared to white ones.

CONCLUSIONS

Levels of problem gambling severity are associated with the prevalence of Axis I and Axis II psychiatric disorders in both Hispanics and whites. Differences in the patterns of co-occurring disorders between subsyndromal levels of gambling in Hispanic and white respondents indicate the importance of considering ethnicity/race-related factors related to subthreshold levels of gambling in developing improved mental health prevention and treatment strategies.