Gambling problems and comorbidity with alcohol use disorders in Chinese‐, Korean‐, and White‐American college students

Abstract

Background and Objectives This study examined gambling behaviors and the relationship between gambling problems and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) among Chinese-, Korean-, and White-American college students. Methods Participants were 678 (179 Chinese, 194 Korean, and 305 White; 50% female) 21 to 26 year-old (M = 22.0 +/− 1.36) students attending one university in California. The South Oaks Gambling Screen was administered to assess gambling behavior and the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism was administered to diagnose lifetime AUDs. Chi-squares and multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to test our hypotheses. Results Rates of lifetime ever gambling and weekly gambling were similar across the three ethnic groups, but participation in five types of gambling behavior differed. Chinese had the highest rates of gambling problems followed by Koreans and then Whites. Univariate odds ratios determined being Chinese or Korean, being male, and having an AUD were risk factors for gambling problems. When stratified by gender and ethnicity, having an AUD was not related to gambling problems in women, but was strongly associated with gambling problems in Chinese and White men and modestly associated in Korean men. This was true despite low rates of AUDs in Chinese men. Discussion and Conclusions Gambling problems were strongly comorbid with AUDs in Chinese- and White-American men, and moderately comorbid in Korean-American men. No relationship of AUD with gambling problems was found in women. Scientific Significance The results highlight the importance of assessing disaggregated Asian-American subgroups with respect to addictive behaviors and their comorbidity.

Review: Prevalence and co‐occurrence of addictions in US ethnic/racial groups: Implications for genetic research

“…Using data from the 1991–1992 NLAES to examine Asian American subgroups, Price et al reported lifetime DSM‐IV alcohol dependence was 12.8% in Japanese ( n = 314), 10.1% in Filipino ( n = 185), 9.7% in Korean ( n = 123), 4.5% in Chinese ( n = 230), and 3.4% in Vietnamese ( n = 89) adults. The finding that Koreans were twice as likely to have lifetime dependence as Chinese is consistent with results in a college student sample that found 10% of Chinese ( n = 179), 20% of Korean ( n = 194), and 33% of White ( n = 305) college students had a lifetime DSM‐IV AUD . Using NSDUH data from 1999 to 2002, Sakai et al found that among US lifetime alcohol users, past‐year DSM‐IV dependence was approximately 4% in full (single race) Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders, 3% in Koreans, 2% in Indians, Japanese, and Vietnamese, and 1% in Chinese and Filipinos, with higher prevalence in those who indicated multiple races compared with single race for Filipinos and Native Hawaiians.…”

“…Similarly, Barry and colleagues found ORs that were not significantly different for Hispanics and Whites for past‐year pathological gambling with AUD (6.8 for Hispanics vs. 6.2 for Whites), DUD (1.7 vs. 2.9), nicotine dependence (7.1 vs. 7.1), and any substance use disorder (3.7 vs. 6.7), although Hispanics had a significantly stronger relationship between subsyndromal gambling and any substance use disorder as well as nicotine dependence than Whites. Luczak and Wall found lifetime probable pathological gambling was significantly related to DSM‐IV AUDs among Chinese men (OR = 13.3) and White men (OR = 9.4), but not among Korean men (OR = 2.5), but no associations were significantly different for women.…”

“…Additional studies have examined alcohol use and problems within those who have a drug use disorder (DUD) or gambling problem, which we review in those sections. Other studies have examined both AUDs and DUDs, but have not reported their co‐use or comorbidity .…”

“…One other study estimated the prevalence of pathological gambling in ethnic subgroups. Luczak and Wall assessed gambling behavior among 179 Chinese, 194 Korean, and 305 White college students from one university in California. Lifetime probable pathological gambling as indicated by the SOGs was significantly higher in Chinese (6%) and Koreans (7%) compared with Whites (2%).…”

“…Three studies were identified that examined the comorbidity of pathological gambling and DUDs among ethnic groups . Barry and colleagues found risk for comorbid past‐year pathological gambling was not significantly different for Blacks and Whites for AUD (odds ratio, OR, of 4.3 for Blacks vs. 6.2 for Whites), DUD (3.4 vs. 2.9), nicotine dependence (3.1 vs. 7.1), and any substance use disorder (AUD or DUD, 4.2 vs. 6.7), although Blacks had a significantly stronger relationship between subsyndromal gambling and any substance use disorder than Whites.…”