Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, M3083 Markin Hall, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
J Gambl Stud. 2013 Sep;29(3):393-415. doi: 10.1007/s10899-012-9323-z.
Little is known about risk factors for problem gambling (PG) within the rapidly growing urban Aboriginal population in North America. Racial discrimination may be an important risk factor for PG given documented associations between racism and other forms of addictive behaviour. This study examined associations between racial discrimination and problem gambling among urban Aboriginal adults, and the extent to which this link was mediated by post traumatic stress. Data were collected via in-person surveys with a community-based sample of Aboriginal adults living in a mid-sized city in western Canada (N = 381) in 2010. Results indicate more than 80 % of respondents experienced discrimination due to Aboriginal race in the past year, with the majority reporting high levels of racism in that time period. Past year racial discrimination was a risk factor for 12-month problem gambling, gambling to escape, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in bootstrapped regression models adjusted for confounders and other forms of social trauma. Elevated PTSD symptoms among those experiencing high levels of racism partially explained the association between racism and the use of gambling to escape in statistical models. These findings are the first to suggest racial discrimination may be an important social determinant of problem gambling for Aboriginal peoples. Gambling may be a coping response that some Aboriginal adults use to escape the negative emotions associated with racist experiences. Results support the development of policies to reduce racism directed at Aboriginal peoples in urban areas, and enhanced services to help Aboriginal peoples cope with racist events.
在北美的快速增长的城市原住民人口中，对于赌博问题（PG）的风险因素知之甚少。鉴于有记录表明种族主义与其他形式的成瘾行为之间存在关联，种族歧视可能是 PG 的一个重要风险因素。本研究考察了城市原住民成年人中种族歧视与赌博问题之间的关联，以及这种联系在多大程度上受到创伤后应激的影响。2010 年，通过对加拿大西部一个中等城市的基于社区的原住民成年人的实地调查收集了数据（N = 381）。结果表明，超过 80%的受访者在过去一年中因原住民身份而遭受歧视，其中大多数人报告在那段时间内经历了高度的种族主义。在调整了混杂因素和其他形式的社会创伤的自举回归模型中，过去一年的种族歧视是 12 个月内出现赌博问题、赌博逃避和创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）症状的风险因素。在经历高度种族主义的人中，创伤后应激症状升高部分解释了种族主义与赌博逃避之间的关联。这些发现是第一个表明种族歧视可能是原住民赌博问题的一个重要社会决定因素的发现。赌博可能是一些原住民成年人用来逃避与种族主义经历相关的负面情绪的应对方式。研究结果支持制定政策以减少城市地区针对原住民的种族主义，并增强服务以帮助原住民应对种族主义事件。
