Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Helsinki University Hospital, Peliklinikka, Siltasaarenkatu 12 A, 00530, Helsinki, Finland.
EHYT Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention, Elimäenkatu 25-27, 00510, Helsinki, Finland.
Public Health. 2020 Jul;184:5-10. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2020.04.020. Epub 2020 Jun 7.
This study aims to discuss and analyse the gambling habits and perceptions towards gambling cultures and problems among the large 'baby boomer' generation in Finland from an intersectional approach. These people born between 1945 and 1955 in their retirement or approaching retirement may face new risks regarding gambling. The results of this study support the designing of harm prevention among this ageing generation.
Twenty-five people were interviewed in six focus groups. Participants' gambling experience varied from non-gambling to having experienced some problems. Three of the focus groups had participants with second degree education the highest, and three of the groups had participants with second degree education the lowest. Four interviews were conducted in the capital area and two in rural environments.
The group interview data were analysed with thematic content analysis. After initial coding in accordance with the research questions, subthemes and final themes were formed. Results are discussed through the final themes.
The main results concern the gambling habits on the participants' life course: from shared, cultural experiences in their childhood to mostly minor gambling on the edge of retirement; the mutual understanding of the enormous growth in gambling supply during their lifetime, but emphasizing the importance of gambling monopoly for the society; and framing gambling problems as an individual tendency.
The prevention of gambling harm within this generation needs to take into account the historical changes they have lived: from few, harmless gambling products framed as an instrument to support 'good causes' to the current world of commercial gambling. The deterministic understanding of gambling problems as an individual flaw may prevent recognizing problem gambling and seeking help to tackle the problems. Risks for gambling harm relate more to the gambling structures and cultures this ageing generation lives in, and the deterministic, individual understanding of gambling harm they share, than to marginalized positions they may have through gender or education.
本研究旨在从交叉的角度讨论和分析芬兰庞大的“婴儿潮一代”在退休或即将退休时的赌博习惯、对赌博文化的看法以及赌博问题。这些人出生于 1945 年至 1955 年间，他们在退休或即将退休时可能面临新的赌博风险。本研究的结果支持针对这一年龄段设计预防伤害措施。
对六个焦点小组中的 25 人进行了访谈。参与者的赌博经历从不赌博到经历过一些问题不等。其中三个焦点小组的参与者受教育程度最高为第二学位，三个焦点小组的参与者受教育程度最低为第二学位。四个访谈在首都地区进行，两个在农村地区进行。
对小组访谈数据进行主题内容分析。根据研究问题、子主题和最终主题进行初始编码后，形成了最终主题。通过最终主题讨论结果。
主要结果涉及参与者生活历程中的赌博习惯：从童年时期共同的、文化的经历到退休边缘的主要是小额赌博；他们在一生中对赌博供应的巨大增长有相互理解，但强调赌博垄断对社会的重要性；并将赌博问题框定为个人倾向。
需要考虑到这一代人所经历的历史变化，为这一代人预防赌博危害：从少数、无害的赌博产品，被框定为支持“公益事业”的手段，到当前的商业赌博世界。将赌博问题理解为个人缺陷的决定论可能会阻止人们认识到赌博问题并寻求帮助来解决这些问题。赌博危害的风险与这一年龄段所处的赌博结构和文化有关，与他们所共有的、决定论的、个人对赌博危害的理解有关，而与他们可能因性别或教育而处于边缘地位无关。
