The roles of coping style and social support in the experience of harm and distress among people affected by another person's gambling.

Background: Gambling-related harms can negatively impact the health and wellbeing of those around the person who gambles (affected others, AOs). The stress-strain-coping-support (SSCS) model proposes that the type of coping strategies AOs use, and the availability of social support, can effectively reduce some of these negative consequences. The current study aimed to explore the assumptions in the SSCS model by examining the role of coping styles and social support on the experience of harm and psychological distress in AOs.

Illusions of control: A quasi-experiment comparing skill-based and traditional slot machines.

Background And Aims: Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are a significant source of gambling spend due to their widespread use. Skill-based gambling machines (SGMs) represent an innovative adaptation, merging EGMs' chance-based rewards with video game-like skills. This study aimed to explore the appeal and behavioural consequences of playing SGMs in comparison to traditional reel-based EGMs, particularly focusing on illusions of control, betting behaviour, and the subjective experience of gamblers.

The influence of age on gambling problems worldwide: A systematic review and meta-analysis of risk among younger, middle-aged, and older adults.

Background And Aims: Problem gambling (PG) represents a significant public health concern with widespread effects in various cultures and regions globally, with younger individuals and males at a particularly higher risk. This disparity is attributed to a mix of cultural, developmental, and biological influences. To date, there has not been a comprehensive examination to determine whether this risk pattern holds consistently across different jurisdictions.

A theoretical framework for identifying sociocultural factors that influence nurses' compliance with early warning systems for acute clinical deterioration: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: Systematic adoption of early warning systems in healthcare settings is dependent on the optimal and reliable application by the user. Psychosocial issues and hospital culture influence clinicians' patient safety behaviours.

Objective: (i) To examine the sociocultural factors that influence nurses' EWS compliance behaviours, using a theory driven behavioural model and (ii) to propose a conceptual model of sociocultural factors for EWS compliance behaviour.

National burden of gambling in Japan: an estimation from an online-based cross-sectional investigation and national epidemiological survey.

Background: Gambling is a popular leisure activity in many countries, often expected to boost regional economies. Nevertheless, its negative impacts remain a significant concern. Gambling disorder is recognized as the most severe consequence; however, even non- or low-risk gamblers may also face negative impacts.

Harm-to-self from gambling: A national study of Australian adults.

Aims: Understanding how gambling harm is distributed is essential to inform effective harm reduction measures. This first national Australian study of gambling harm-to-self examined the extent, distribution, risk factors, and health related quality of life (HRQoL) impacts of this harm.

Methods: A Random Digit Dialling sample of 15,000 Australian adults was weighted to key population variables.

Skill-Based Electronic Gaming Machines: Features that Mimic Video Gaming, Features that could Contribute to Harm, and Their Potential Attraction to Different Groups.

New gambling products have been developed over time as technology permits. For example, early mechanical slot machines were later replaced by electronic gaming machines (EGMs), which enabled a faster speed of play and more immersive experience. EGMs have in the decades since their invention become one of the main drivers of gambling expenditure worldwide and are one of the gambling products most strongly associated with harm.

The COVID-19 lockdown experience suggests that restricting the supply of gambling can reduce gambling problems: An Australian prospective study.

Background And Aims: COVID-19 lockdowns limited access to gambling but simultaneously elevated psychosocial stressors. This study assessed the relative effects of these changes on gambling risk status during and after the Australian COVID-19 lockdown from late-March to late-May 2020.

Methods: The study administered three surveys to people who had gambled within the past year at T1.

Feature preferences of sports betting platforms: A discrete choice experiment shows why young bettors prefer smartphones.

Background And Aims: Smartphone, computer and land-based betting platforms each have distinctive features. This study examined 1) preferred features of sports betting platforms amongst young adults and 2) whether feature preferences vary with gambling severity.

Methods: The study surveyed 616 Australians aged 18-29 years who bet at-least monthly on sports, esports and/or daily fantasy sports.

Situational features of smartphone betting are linked to sports betting harm: An ecological momentary assessment study.

Background And Aims: Smartphones extend the situational characteristics of sports betting beyond those available with land-based and computer platforms. This study examined 1) the role of situational features and betting platforms in harmful betting behaviours and short-term betting harm, and 2) whether people with more gambling problems have preferred situational features, engage more in harmful betting behaviours, and experience more severe short-term betting harm.

Methods: An ecological momentary assessment analysed 1,378 betting sessions on sports, esports or daily fantasy sports, reported by 267 respondents (18-29 years; 50.

Affecting change as a clinical academic.

Clinical academics can effectively advocate for cultural and policy transformations to improve health outcomes; but where do you begin? We present a case study of academics from Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) who are engaging with the public, media, and policymakers to affect meaningful change in melanoma skin cancer.

Electronic gaming machine accessibility and gambling problems: A natural policy experiment.

Background: Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are one of the most harmful forms of gambling at an individual level. It is unclear whether restriction of EGM functions and accessibility results in meaningful reductions in population-level gambling harm.

Methods: A natural policy experiment using a large (N = 15,000) national dataset weighted to standard population variables was employed to compare estimates of gambling problems between Australian residents in Western Australia (WA), where EGMs are restricted to one venue and have different structural features, to residents in other Australian jurisdictions where EGMs are widely accessible in casinos, hotels and clubs.

How gambling harms others: The influence of relationship-type and closeness on harm, health, and wellbeing.

Background And Aims: Concerned significant others (CSOs) can experience gambling-related harm, impacting their health and wellbeing. However, this harm varies depending on the type and closeness of the relationship with the person who gambles. We sought to determine the type and closeness of relationships that are more likely to experience harm from another person's gambling, and examine which aspects of health and wellbeing are related to this harm.

Indicators of patient deterioration in poorly resourced private hospitals: Which vital sign to watch? A retrospective case-control study.

Background: Patient vital signs are a measure of wellness if monitored regularly and accurately. Staff shortages in poorly resourced regional hospitals often result in inadequate patient monitoring, putting patients at risk of undetected deterioration.

Objective: This study aims to explore the pattern and completeness of vital sign monitoring and the contribution of each vital sign in predicting clinical deterioration events in resource-poor regional/rural hospitals.

Validation of the 7-Item Domain-General Gambling Harm Scale (DGHS-7).

Introduction: Gambling can cause negative consequences affecting finances, work/study, physical and mental health, relationships, law abidingness, and the community. Although existing measures enable investigations of gambling harms, there is still a need for a brief measure covering the full range of gambling related harms.

Methods: We validated a 7-item domain-general harm scale (DGHS-7) using data from a cross-sectional survey of United Kingdom residents reporting gambling within the last 12 months ( = 2558, 62.

Gambling advertising on Twitter before, during and after the initial Australian COVID-19 lockdown.

Background And Aims: COVID-19 resulted in the shutdown of almost all sporting competitions and most venue-based gambling opportunities. This study examines how wagering operators in Australia responded, by examining their advertising.

Methods: The study compared Twitter activity during lockdown (March-May 2020) to the previous year for four major wagering operators.

Designing Improved Safer Gambling Messages for Race and Sports Betting: What can be Learned from Other Gambling Formats and the Broader Public Health Literature?

Safer gambling messages are one potential input to a public health approach toward reducing gambling-related harm, and yet there is no strong evidence supporting current messages such as "gamble responsibly" or "keep the fun in the game". Furthermore, sports betting is increasing in popularity in multiple jurisdictions, such as Australia and the US, increasing the need to design effective messaging campaigns for race and sports betting. Compared to other gambling formats, such as electronic gambling machines, the level of potential skill involved in race and sports betting may raise unique issues regarding the design of effective messages.

Unambiguous evidence that over half of gambling problems in Australia are caused by electronic gambling machines: Results from a large-scale composite population study.

Background And Aims: It is well understood that engagement with some forms of gambling, like EGMs, is riskier than other forms. However, while reports of associations are common, few studies have attempted to evaluate and compare the relative risk of all available forms, and none have estimated the relative contribution of each form to the total burden of gambling problems (GP) in a population.

Methods: Using an aggregated dataset of national and state-based prevalence studies in Australia (N = 71,103), we estimated prevalence and unique effects of frequency of engagement on each form on GP.

Trajectories of wellbeing in people who live with gamblers experiencing a gambling problem: An 18-year longitudinal analysis of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey.

In cross-sectional gambling studies, friends, family, and others close to those experiencing gambling problems (concerned significant others 'CSOs') tend to report detriments to their quality of life. To date, however, there have been no large, population-based longitudinal studies examining the health and wellbeing of CSOs. We analyse longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey to examine the 18-year trajectories of general, social, health and financial wellbeing of household CSOs (n = 477) and compare these to those without a gambling problem in the household (n = 13,661).

Comparing outcomes of an innovative interprofessional student placement model to standard placement models in rural healthcare settings.

This unique study investigated the educational and service delivery impacts of a team-based, innovative model of interprofessional education (IPE) namely the Rural Interprofessional Education and Supervision (RIPES) model on participating students, clinical educators, and their workplaces, in rural Australian healthcare settings. Participating professions included dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech pathology. Outcomes from the RIPES model were compared with regular uni-professional placement models.

How gambling problems relate to health and wellbeing in Australian households: Evidence from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics of Australia Survey.

Gambling harms can impact the health and wellbeing of both individuals who gamble and those close to them. While harms occur across a spectrum of gambling risk levels, most research is conducted on people close to those gamblers who have severe problems. This study examined the health and wellbeing of people living with gamblers across the entire spectrum of gambling risk levels, via secondary analysis of the nationally-representative Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey (HILDA).

Not all games are created equal: Adolescents who play and spend money on simulated gambling games show greater risk for gaming disorder.

Research reports positive associations between gaming disorder (GD) in adolescents and loot box purchasing but has not examined this relationship for other types of simulated gambling. This study examined whether greater engagement and expenditure in three types of simulated gambling were associated with meeting the criteria for GD in adolescents. A sample of Australians aged 12-17 years (N = 826) was recruited through an online panel aggregator.

Validating the short gambling harm screen against external benchmarks.

Background And Aims: The Short Gambling Harm Screen (SGHS) is currently the most frequently applied dedicated measure of gambling-related harm (GRH), though concerns relating to scale validity have been expressed. The current study aimed to address criticisms that several SGHS items do not depict genuine harms that may occur as a result of gambling, causing the scale to overestimate harm. Specifically, we aimed to test convergence between the SGHS and its constituent items with: (1) wellbeing, and (2) psychological distress.