- Title
- Gambling-related suicide in Victoria, Australia : a population-based cross-sectional study
- Creator
- Rintoul, Angela; Dwyer, Jeremy; Millar, Ciara; Bugeja, Lyndal; Nguyen, Huy
- Date
- 2023
- Type
- Text; Journal article
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/199054
- Identifier
- vital:19159
- Identifier
-
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100903
- Identifier
- ISSN:2666-6065 (ISSN)
- Abstract
- Background: Gambling is associated with serious harms to health, including suicide. Yet public health systems for recording the role of gambling in suicide deaths are relatively underdeveloped. This study contributes to the understanding of this relationship. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study of suicides reported to the Coroners Court of Victoria between 2009 and 2016 was performed to identify the incidence and characteristics of gambling-related suicides (GRS). Findings: From 2009 to 2016 there were 4788 suicide deaths in Victoria. Of these, 184 were identified as direct GRS and a further 17 were GRS by ‘affected others’. Together, these GRS comprise 4.2% of all suicides in Victoria over this eight-year period. Direct GRS account for an annual average rate of 5.13 GRS per million Victorian adults. GRS were significantly more likely to be male (n = 153, 83%), than the Victorian population of total suicide deaths and significantly more likely to occur among those most disadvantaged. Family members and friends were more likely than clinicians to know about the deceased gambling. Interpretation: Given that gambling is not routinely investigated by coroners and may be hidden from family, friends, and health professionals, this is an underestimate of the true scale of the GRS in Victoria. A range of measures should be introduced to prevent, screen, support, and treat gambling harm. Family members and friends should also be provided with help services. Preventing gambling-related harm through public health measures could significantly reduce suicidality and suicide, both in Australia and globally. Funding: Federation University Australia, Coroners Court of Victoria, Suicide Prevention Australia. © 2023 The Authors
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Relation
- The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific Vol. 41, no. (2023), p.
- Rights
- All metadata describing materials held in, or linked to, the repository is freely available under a CC0 licence
- Rights
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
- Rights
- Copyright © 2023 The Authors
- Rights
- Open Access
- Subject
- 3202 Clinical sciences; 4203 Health services and systems; 4206 Public health; Commercial determinants of health; Gambling; Gambling treatment; Harm reduction; Suicide epidemiology; Suicide prevention
- Full Text
- Reviewed
- Funder
- This study was undertaken with the support of funding from Suicide Prevention Australia , Federation University Australia , and in-kind funding from the Coroners Court of Victoria
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