Abstract
There have been mixed research results when studying gambling problems in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities in Australia and internationally. This study tests the feasibility of using nationally representative General Social Surveys for examining trends and patterns in gambling problems and other life stressors amongst the Australian CALD population. Two surveys were analysed to determine whether the CALD population experienced gambling problems and other life stressors at different levels to the non-CALD population, and to identify, using multivariable models, whether CALD related variables showed evidence of an association with reported gambling problems after adjustment for other covariates. There was no evidence that 2002 estimates of gambling problems were different in CALD and non-CALD populations. In 2006, there was evidence that gambling problems were lower in the CALD population compared with the non-CALD population (1.3% cf. 3.5%). In 2002 multivariable models there was no evidence of an association between CALD status or related variables with gambling problems, after adjustment for other variables. In 2006 multivariable models, there was evidence of an association between being the CALD population (protective), and being born in Oceania or New Zealand (risk) with gambling problems, after adjustment for other variables.
Highlights
Australia has an ethnically diverse population, with nearly 25% of the population being born overseas (Department of Immigration and Citizenship 2009)
The variable combining country of birth and main language spoken at home was significantly associated with reported gambling problems, with people not born in Australia and not speaking English at home being associated with reduced reporting of gambling problems, while people born in Australia and not speaking English at home had marginally non-significant association with increased reporting of gambling problems
Using population surveys to measure gambling problems in the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse’ (CALD) population This paper presented an analysis of gambling problems in the CALD population using nationally representative Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population surveys
Summary
Australia has an ethnically diverse population, with nearly 25% of the population being born overseas (Department of Immigration and Citizenship 2009). Skilled and business migrants have been sought by successive Australian Governments predominantly since the 1980s to contribute to the economic growth and development of the country. Their proportionate share has been increasing and in 2007–08 it represented nearly 70% of the annual migration program in Australia. The family stream group of migrants are not subject to skilled entry criteria and many of these visa holders are women from various Asian countries and the proportionate share of this stream has fallen from 42% (2000– 01) to 30% (2008–09) as the skilled and business stream increased its share (Department of Immigration and Citizenship 2009)
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