Can Gambling Kill?

A recent study by The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry has shown that people who are pathological gamblers may be more likely to attempt suicide than individuals who are not gamblers.

The study, published in Vol. 52, Issue 9 of the journal, examines a possible link between pathological gambling and attempted suicide rates. To determine whether or not there was an association, the researchers examined preexisting studies and also conducted an original study. One of the studies examined vital statistics that revealed that residents of three major United States gambling cities (Las Vegas, Reno, and Atlantic City) had a higher suicide rate than cities that were not centered around gambling. Another showed that in 64 Louisiana parishes the per capita lottery spending was positively associated with a change in suicide rates from 1989-1990 and 1994-1995. An interview of 1,471 college students in Quebec City ranging from 16 to 23 years old showed that the attempted suicide rate among students with gambling problems was 26.8%, but for those without gambling problems the attempted suicide rate was 7.2%. The researchers also conducted their own study which used the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being (CCHS 1.2) and the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI) to determine whether or not there was a correlation between pathological gambling and attempted suicide. A score of eight or more on the CPGI is used to define a person as a pathological gambler. The results of the study showed that the highest risk categories for attempted suicide were: age 15 to 19; female sex; single or never-married status; having, at most, a high school education; unemployed status; having a 1-year history of pathological gambling, major depression, alcohol dependence, or drug dependence; and persons having received mental health care in the past year. The study concluded that there was a strong correlation between pathological gambling and attempted suicide. However, it is important to note that, because of the limitations of the CCHS 1.2, it is impossible to prove that the relationship is causal, meaning that gambling may not be the reason for the suicide attempts, there may be another factor. The authors suggest that future surveys investigating pathological gambling should ask about the events leading up to the interviews. Respondents with a history of attempted suicide should also be asked whether a problem related to gambling brought on the suicide attempt. These types of questions would strengthen the results of the survey by proving a cause. Whether or not gambling can be proven as the cause, the fact that people who have gambling problems have a higher rate of attempted suicide is alarming. People who have gambling habits should be careful not to allow the activity to get out of hand. On top of the financial and social problems that can be caused, there is now mounting evidence that there are psychological problems caused by letting gambling get out of hand.