Perceived health among older adult pathological gamblers

ABSTRACT The proliferation of state lotteries and casinos has led to an increased participation in gambling and its associated problems. Older retired adults have more opportunities to gamble and available funds than other demographic groups. Older adults are also targets of gambling marketing campaigns offering; free meals, hotel stays, rides to gambling sites and medication discount coupons. For these reasons, older adults may constitute a special risk group for pathological gambling. Research has linked poorer mental health and physical health to gambling problems but note that further evaluation of the phenomenon is needed. This secondary analysis sought to examine perceived physical health status in 40 older adults with lifetime pathological gambling using the SF-36 Health Survey. The current study compared participant's SF-36 scores to general population scores. The results indicate lower levels of perceived health in this population compared to United States norms. Specific areas of concern include physical functioning, bodily pain, vitality and mental health. Implications of these findings related to healthy aging are discussed. Word count 165.