Older Gamblers May Have Good Luck in Health
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Friday, September 10, 2004
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Sept. 10, 2004 -- Unlike their younger counterparts, elderly gamblers may be less likely to suffer from the negative effects commonly associated with gambling, such as alcohol or substance abuse or spending time in jail.
In fact, researchers found that recreational gamblers over 65 reported better overall health than their non-gambling peers.
Researchers say gambling has become an increasingly popular, widely available, and socially acceptable activity. Over the last few decades, the growth rate of gambling participation has been highest among the elderly.
But despite these trends, researchers say little attention has been paid to the potential health effects of gambling among the elderly.
Gambling With Your Health
Previous studies have shown that problem or pathological gambling is associated with several negative health and social effects, such as mental health problems, divorce, job loss, arrest and incarceration, and poor general health.
However, only a small proportion of people who gamble develop a gambling problem, and most adults in the U.S. gamble recreationally. Researchers say few studies have looked at the health effects of recreational gambling, but a recent study suggested that gambling in the past year was associated with both positive and negative health effects among adults.
For example, adults who had gambled in the previous year had higher rates of alcohol and substance abuse, depression, and incarceration. But they also were more likely to report good to excellent general personal health.
In this study, researchers looked at whether those findings also applied to older adults over age 65 compared with those aged 18-64 who had gambled within the past year. The results appear in the September issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Researchers surveyed a nationwide sample of 2,417 adults by telephone and asked them about their gambling habits and personal health.
Among the elderly, half reported gambling in the last year compared with two-thirds of younger adults.
Less than 1% of the older adults who had gambled in the previous year said they had ever experienced a problem with a gambling addiction or pathological gambling compared with 2.4% of younger adults.
Compared with younger recreational gamblers, researchers found fewer negative health effects among elderly gamblers.
"Specifically, the findings of increased alcohol abuse/dependence, substance abuse/dependence, and incarceration that are found among younger recreational gamblers were not observed in the older recreational gamblers," write researcher Rani Desai, PhD, MPH, associate professor of psychology at the Yale School of Medicine, and colleagues.
Older recreational gamblers were also 2.5 times more likely to report good or excellent overall personal health than non-gamblers.
Researchers say it's not clear why gambling was associated with better health among older persons, but it could be that healthier adults who are able to gamble are simply healthier to begin with. Other possible explanations may be that older adults who gamble may benefit from increased activity, socialization, and mental stimulation associated with gambling.
Desai says it's important to continue to monitor the effects of gambling among the elderly because the activity can become addictive, especially since older gamblers tend to favor non-strategic games like the lottery, bingo, keno, and slot machines, which are particularly addictive
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Friday, September 10, 2004
More From WebMD
Taming Soft Addictions
Are You Making Smart Health Choices?
Get Top Health News in Your Inbox
Sept. 10, 2004 -- Unlike their younger counterparts, elderly gamblers may be less likely to suffer from the negative effects commonly associated with gambling, such as alcohol or substance abuse or spending time in jail.
In fact, researchers found that recreational gamblers over 65 reported better overall health than their non-gambling peers.
Researchers say gambling has become an increasingly popular, widely available, and socially acceptable activity. Over the last few decades, the growth rate of gambling participation has been highest among the elderly.
But despite these trends, researchers say little attention has been paid to the potential health effects of gambling among the elderly.
Gambling With Your Health
Previous studies have shown that problem or pathological gambling is associated with several negative health and social effects, such as mental health problems, divorce, job loss, arrest and incarceration, and poor general health.
However, only a small proportion of people who gamble develop a gambling problem, and most adults in the U.S. gamble recreationally. Researchers say few studies have looked at the health effects of recreational gambling, but a recent study suggested that gambling in the past year was associated with both positive and negative health effects among adults.
For example, adults who had gambled in the previous year had higher rates of alcohol and substance abuse, depression, and incarceration. But they also were more likely to report good to excellent general personal health.
In this study, researchers looked at whether those findings also applied to older adults over age 65 compared with those aged 18-64 who had gambled within the past year. The results appear in the September issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Researchers surveyed a nationwide sample of 2,417 adults by telephone and asked them about their gambling habits and personal health.
Among the elderly, half reported gambling in the last year compared with two-thirds of younger adults.
Less than 1% of the older adults who had gambled in the previous year said they had ever experienced a problem with a gambling addiction or pathological gambling compared with 2.4% of younger adults.
Compared with younger recreational gamblers, researchers found fewer negative health effects among elderly gamblers.
"Specifically, the findings of increased alcohol abuse/dependence, substance abuse/dependence, and incarceration that are found among younger recreational gamblers were not observed in the older recreational gamblers," write researcher Rani Desai, PhD, MPH, associate professor of psychology at the Yale School of Medicine, and colleagues.
Older recreational gamblers were also 2.5 times more likely to report good or excellent overall personal health than non-gamblers.
Researchers say it's not clear why gambling was associated with better health among older persons, but it could be that healthier adults who are able to gamble are simply healthier to begin with. Other possible explanations may be that older adults who gamble may benefit from increased activity, socialization, and mental stimulation associated with gambling.
Desai says it's important to continue to monitor the effects of gambling among the elderly because the activity can become addictive, especially since older gamblers tend to favor non-strategic games like the lottery, bingo, keno, and slot machines, which are particularly addictive
