Screening for Gambling Harms in LA
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Can a ‘trigger’ question to identify gambling harms to individuals or affected others be validated and used in three local authority (LA) Adult services departments (ASDs)?
IRAS ID
289416
Contact name
Caroline Norrie
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
Close to half of the British adult population gamble with around two million being either “problem gamblers” or at risk of developing problems. Additionally, the ‘typical’ problem gambler negatively affects up to six other people.
Local authorities (LAs) are being asked by government to identify and support people experiencing gambling harms such as poverty, debt, mental health problems, domestic violence and housing instability. Early recognition in social
care should be a critical tool in identifying, preventing and managing gambling’s harmful consequences. To date, no tool has been scientifically assessed to do this. Working with GamCare, the UK's largest gambling support charity, we plan to validate a 'trigger' question which can be used with enquirers/service users. This would allow benchmarking across LAs and over time. This is important as there is a lack of empirical evidence about gambling harms despite substantial publicity about the industry’s expansion and the harms to individuals.
This study aims to develop an acceptable 'trigger' question for identifying gambling harms to individuals, and affected others, which can be validated and used by staff in adult service departments (ASD) in three Local Authorities (LAs). It aims to provide participating LAs with data about numbers of enquirers/service users affected by gambling harms which they can incorporate into evidence-based service planning.The study has three phases -
Phase 1: Development phase (2 expert panels, cognitive testing, test-retest, criterion validity survey, and co-production of training materials)
Phase 2: Implementation phase, Question(s) will be asked in three local authorities
Phase 3: Evaluation phase, (staff survey, staff and service user interviews)REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
21/IEC08/0017
Date of REC Opinion
27 Jul 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion