National Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747.
Singapore Med J. 2011 Jun;52(6):428-31.
The expansion in gambling activities over the past decade has made gambling more accessible than ever. This could bring changes in the sociodemographic and clinical profiles of those seeking treatment for pathological gambling.
This study examined the differences between two cohorts of 150 patients each, treated at the National Addictions Management Service between 2001 and 2006 (cohort-1) and between 2006 and 2008 (cohort-2), respectively.
Compared to cohort-1, cohort-2 was significantly younger (p-value less than 0.01), comprised fewer Chinese and were more highly educated (p-value less than 0.05), with no significant difference in gender or marital status. Regarding the type of gambling activities, cohort-2 was more likely to engage in soccer betting (p-value less than 0.01). Although the proportion presenting with any comorbidity remained unchanged, alcohol use disorders had increased more than three-fold and suicide risk was slightly elevated, although not significantly.
Clinicians should undertake routine screening and assessment of alcohol misuse and suicide risk, offering brief interventions, where necessary, for this vulnerable population.
过去十年间，赌博活动的扩张使赌博变得比以往任何时候都更容易接触。这可能会改变寻求病理性赌博治疗的患者的社会人口统计学和临床特征。
本研究分别对分别在 2001 年至 2006 年（队列 1）和 2006 年至 2008 年（队列 2）期间在国家成瘾管理服务中心接受治疗的 150 名患者的两个队列之间的差异进行了检查。
与队列 1 相比，队列 2 的年龄明显较小（p 值小于 0.01），中国人较少，受教育程度较高（p 值小于 0.05），性别或婚姻状况无显着差异。在赌博活动类型方面，队列 2 更有可能参与足球博彩（p 值小于 0.01）。尽管存在任何合并症的比例保持不变，但酒精使用障碍增加了三倍以上，自杀风险略有升高，但无显着性。
临床医生应常规筛查和评估酒精滥用和自杀风险，并为这一脆弱人群提供必要的简短干预措施。
