2003 The American Association of Suicidology A Population-Based Study of the Association Between Pathological Gambling and Attempted Suicide

The association between pathological gambling and attempted suicide was examined using data from a prevalence study conducted in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The sample size was 7,214, the questionnaire was the Diagnostic Inter-view Schedule, and diagnoses were made on a lifetime basis according to DSM-III criteria. Logistic regression analysis was performed, with attempted suicide as the dependent variable. The odds ratio for pathological gambling was statistically significant (odds ratio = 4.91; 95 % confidence interval = [1.41,17.1]) when major depression was the only comorbid mental disorder in the model. As terms for additional mental disorders were included, pathological gambling ceased to be statistically significant. It was concluded that a history of pathological gambling is associated with previous attempted suicide, and that the association may be due to a common factor—“mental illness.” Excesses in gambling lead to a number of Ladouceur et al., 1994; Meyer & Fabian, 1993).well documented and serious consequences. These include loss of financial stability (La- While most individuals gamble from time to time, problem or pathological gam-douceur, Dube, & Bujold, 1994), interpersonal difficulties (Beaudoin & Cox, 1999; Bland, bling affects a much smaller segment of the general population. Bland et al. (1993) re-Newman, Orn, & Stebelsky, 1993; Ladouceur et al., 1994), substance abuse (Rosenthal, 1992; ported a lifetime prevalence rate of DSM-III pathological gambling of 0.4 % among adultsRamirez, McCormick, Russo, & Taber, 1983)