Alcohol Use and Gambling Associated with Impulsivity among a Swedish University Sample.

David Forsström,Kristina Sundqvist,Alexander Rozental

doi:10.3390/ijerph19042436

Abstract

Excessive alcohol use and gambling can have negative consequences. Across countries, the risk of excessive alcohol use is more common in university populations than in the general population. However, few studies have investigated the prevalence of both alcohol use and gambling in this group. This study explores these behaviours in a Swedish university setting. In addition, this study investigates how impulsivity affects alcohol use and gambling. In total, 794 Swedish students answered an online survey. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics to determine prevalence, and multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the contribution of impulsivity, age, and sex to alcohol use and gambling. Compared to the Swedish national prevalence, the prevalence was higher for excessive alcohol use, but the prevalence of gambling was at the same level or lower. High levels of impulsivity and male sex increased the risk of excessive alcohol use, while older age lowered the risk of excessive alcohol use and gambling. The results indicate that primarily young men could benefit from primary prevention in a university setting. Also, screening for impulsivity in men might be one way to identify risk groups in a university population.

Highlights

Problematic alcohol use is one of the most important factors contributing to global health burden and societal costs [1]
The prevalence of alcohol use associated with a medium risk was 17.8% and that associated with a high risk was 4.0%
Being male and experiencing higher levels of impulsivity were associated with having more problems in terms of alcohol use and gambling

Summary

Introduction

Problematic alcohol use is one of the most important factors contributing to global health burden and societal costs [1]. 2.9% experience less serious sub-clinical problems (problem gambling was defined as a score over 8 (high-risk gambling), at-risk gambling as a score of 3 to 7 (medium risk), and sub-clinical gambling as a score of 1 to 2 of the Problem Gambling Severity Index, according to the Swedish Longitudinal Gambling Study) [5]. Both hazardous alcohol consumption and problem gambling are more common among younger people than among older people and more common among men than among women. Of all the personality traits associated with problematic alcohol use and gambling, traits related to impulsivity appear to show the most robust relations to both alcohol- and

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Discussion

Conclusion