Family Demographics, Somatic Symptoms and Problem Gambling Among Students in a Nigerian Institution
Background: Problem gambling is becoming a potential public health epidemic in southwest Nigeria. Individuals with gambling problems are underdiagnosed and relatively under-recognised. Hence, they rarely present with complaints of gambling problems at clinics. The family plays a significant role in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, OOUTH Sagamu
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Annals of Health Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.annalsofhealthresearch.com/index.php/ahr/article/view/528 |
| _version_ | 1797214402475196416 |
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| author | Fasesan OA Afe TO |
| author_facet | Fasesan OA Afe TO |
| author_sort | Fasesan OA |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Problem gambling is becoming a potential public health epidemic in southwest Nigeria. Individuals with gambling problems are underdiagnosed and relatively under-recognised. Hence, they rarely present with complaints of gambling problems at clinics. The family plays a significant role in identifying and managing persons with gambling addiction. Healthcare professionals need to have a high index of suspicion and understanding of the relationships between family demographics and the presentation of somatic symptoms among high-risk groups.
Objective: To assess the relationships between family demographics, somatic symptoms, and gambling problems among Nigerian tertiary educational institution students.
Method: This is a cross-sectional study carried out among 183 students of a tertiary education institution in Ogun State, southwest Nigeria. The Southern Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) were the tools used to assess the pattern of gambling and somatic symptoms, respectively.
Results: The prevalence of gambling disorder was 23% (42/183). There was a significant relationship between somatic symptoms and problem gambling (p = 0.02). The predictors of probable gambling were a positive family history of gambling (OR = 3.64, p = 0.01, CI = 1.34-9.90), gender (OR = 0.36, p = 0.02, CI = 0.15-0.86) and a decreasing level of the father's education (OR = 2.78, p = 0.02, CI = 1.15-6.71). At the same time, monthly allowances (OR= 1.01, p = 0.07) and somatic symptoms were not predictors of problem gambling (OR = 0.41, p = 0.17).
Conclusions: Healthcare professionals need a high index of suspicion when evaluating young persons with somatic symptoms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T11:13:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-206f42d949fe4952aab5455f94a4e5f4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2476-8642 2536-6149 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T11:13:36Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, OOUTH Sagamu |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Health Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-206f42d949fe4952aab5455f94a4e5f42024-04-11T11:55:37ZengMedical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, OOUTH SagamuAnnals of Health Research2476-86422536-61492024-03-01101203210.30442/ahr.1001-03-222Family Demographics, Somatic Symptoms and Problem Gambling Among Students in a Nigerian InstitutionFasesan OAAfe TOBackground: Problem gambling is becoming a potential public health epidemic in southwest Nigeria. Individuals with gambling problems are underdiagnosed and relatively under-recognised. Hence, they rarely present with complaints of gambling problems at clinics. The family plays a significant role in identifying and managing persons with gambling addiction. Healthcare professionals need to have a high index of suspicion and understanding of the relationships between family demographics and the presentation of somatic symptoms among high-risk groups. Objective: To assess the relationships between family demographics, somatic symptoms, and gambling problems among Nigerian tertiary educational institution students. Method: This is a cross-sectional study carried out among 183 students of a tertiary education institution in Ogun State, southwest Nigeria. The Southern Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) were the tools used to assess the pattern of gambling and somatic symptoms, respectively. Results: The prevalence of gambling disorder was 23% (42/183). There was a significant relationship between somatic symptoms and problem gambling (p = 0.02). The predictors of probable gambling were a positive family history of gambling (OR = 3.64, p = 0.01, CI = 1.34-9.90), gender (OR = 0.36, p = 0.02, CI = 0.15-0.86) and a decreasing level of the father's education (OR = 2.78, p = 0.02, CI = 1.15-6.71). At the same time, monthly allowances (OR= 1.01, p = 0.07) and somatic symptoms were not predictors of problem gambling (OR = 0.41, p = 0.17). Conclusions: Healthcare professionals need a high index of suspicion when evaluating young persons with somatic symptoms.https://www.annalsofhealthresearch.com/index.php/ahr/article/view/528 |
| spellingShingle | Fasesan OA Afe TO Family Demographics, Somatic Symptoms and Problem Gambling Among Students in a Nigerian Institution Annals of Health Research |
| title | Family Demographics, Somatic Symptoms and Problem Gambling Among Students in a Nigerian Institution |
| title_full | Family Demographics, Somatic Symptoms and Problem Gambling Among Students in a Nigerian Institution |
| title_fullStr | Family Demographics, Somatic Symptoms and Problem Gambling Among Students in a Nigerian Institution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Family Demographics, Somatic Symptoms and Problem Gambling Among Students in a Nigerian Institution |
| title_short | Family Demographics, Somatic Symptoms and Problem Gambling Among Students in a Nigerian Institution |
| title_sort | family demographics somatic symptoms and problem gambling among students in a nigerian institution |
| url | https://www.annalsofhealthresearch.com/index.php/ahr/article/view/528 |
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