TY - JOUR

T1 - Social and Economic Costs of Gambling Problems and Related Harm among UK Military Veterans

AU - Harris, Shaun

AU - Pockett, Rhys

AU - Dighton, Glen

AU - Wood, Katie

AU - Armour, Cherie

AU - Fossey, Matt

AU - Hogan, Lee

AU - Kitchiner, Neil

AU - Larcombe, Justyn

AU - Rogers, Robert

AU - Dymond, Simon

PY - 2023/9/22

Y1 - 2023/9/22

N2 - Introduction: Military veterans are at heightened risk of problem gambling. Little is known about the costs of problem gambling and related harm among United Kingdom (UK) Armed Forces (AF) veterans. We investigated the social and economic costs of gambling among a large sample of veterans through differences in healthcare and social service resource use compared with age-matched and gender-matched non-veterans from the UK AF Veterans’ Health and Gambling Study. Methods: An online survey measured sociodemographic characteristics, gambling experience and problem severity, mental health and healthcare resource utilisation. Healthcare provider, personal social service and societal costs were estimated as total adjusted mean costs and utility, with cost-consequence analysis of a single timepoint. Results: Veterans in our sample had higher healthcare, social service and societal costs and lower utility. Veterans had greater contacts with the criminal justice system, received more social service benefits, had more lost work hours and greater accrued debt. A cost difference of £590 (95% CI −£1016 to −£163) was evident between veterans with scores indicating problem gambling and those reporting no problems. Costs varied by problem gambling status. Conclusions: Our sample of UK AF veterans has higher healthcare, social service and societal costs than non-veterans. Veterans experiencing problem gambling are more costly but have no reduction in quality of life.

AB - Introduction: Military veterans are at heightened risk of problem gambling. Little is known about the costs of problem gambling and related harm among United Kingdom (UK) Armed Forces (AF) veterans. We investigated the social and economic costs of gambling among a large sample of veterans through differences in healthcare and social service resource use compared with age-matched and gender-matched non-veterans from the UK AF Veterans’ Health and Gambling Study. Methods: An online survey measured sociodemographic characteristics, gambling experience and problem severity, mental health and healthcare resource utilisation. Healthcare provider, personal social service and societal costs were estimated as total adjusted mean costs and utility, with cost-consequence analysis of a single timepoint. Results: Veterans in our sample had higher healthcare, social service and societal costs and lower utility. Veterans had greater contacts with the criminal justice system, received more social service benefits, had more lost work hours and greater accrued debt. A cost difference of £590 (95% CI −£1016 to −£163) was evident between veterans with scores indicating problem gambling and those reporting no problems. Costs varied by problem gambling status. Conclusions: Our sample of UK AF veterans has higher healthcare, social service and societal costs than non-veterans. Veterans experiencing problem gambling are more costly but have no reduction in quality of life.

KW - adult psychiatry

KW - health economics

KW - mental health

KW - public health

U2 - 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2021-001892

DO - 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2021-001892

M3 - Article

VL - 169

SP - 413

EP - 418

JO - BMJ Military Health

JF - BMJ Military Health

SN - 2633-3775

IS - 5

ER -