Postgraduate - UnitPHC5005 - Introduction to problem gambling

The international liberalisation of legalised access to gambling has lead to an increased incidence and prevalence of problem gambling in many jurisdictions. Workers in the health and human services are now much more likely to encounter clients with problem gambling and associated co-morbid problems.

This unit will define what is meant by "problem gambling" and how different Australian and overseas jurisdictions have tackled this problem in the context of overall gambling policy. The distribution of problem gambling within the Australian community and international communities will be reviewed. Risk and protective factors for problem gambling will also be reviewed. There is now significant evidence that problem gambling usually occurs in conjunction with other problems including drug and alcohol addiction and mental health disorders including depression. The evidence for these co-morbidities and their implications for policy and treatment will be reviewed.

The course is designed for primary health care professionals and other professionals involved in services dealing with problem gamblers and their families and for those with a general interest in gambling and problem gambling.