Abstract
Objectives: To obtain insights about the accessibility of UK gambling support services from the perspectives of individuals and organisations supporting migrants experiencing gambling-related harm. Study design: Two focus groups were conducted in Leeds and London, United Kingdom, in 2018. Methods: Thirty-two participants shared their views and experiences from their support work with migrant communities or support services and personal experiences. Thematic analysis identified four themes: (1) the relationship between gambling-related harm and migration, (2) the ‘harm paradox’ and migrant gambling, (3) barriers to help seeking and (4) ways to improve current support. Results: Participants considered that individuals’ migration history may impact on their gambling participation. They considered that recent migrants experience similar gambling-related harms to the UK general population; however, their experience of harms may be exacerbated or accelerated by socio-economic circumstances. Concerns surrounding trust, confidentiality, social interaction, integration and language proficiency were interwoven with barriers that migrants may encounter when engaging in help-seeking behaviour. Participants called for better evidence and understanding of the culturally specific and contextual harms that migrants may experience from their gambling. They advocated a stronger emphasis on prevention and the development of culturally competent gambling support services. Conclusions: Migrants are vulnerable to gambling-related harm; however, existing gambling support services may not meet their needs. Efforts should be made to ensure gambling support services are accessible to migrants and culturally sensitive. More research is needed to investigate gambling-related harm from the perspectives of migrants and to improve the promotion, design, delivery and accessibility of gambling support services for this population.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 22-27 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Public Health |
| Volume | 184 |
| Early online date | 13 May 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2020 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study was funded by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and King’s College London Interdisciplinary Research Fund and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Policy Research Programme (Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce: Ref. PR-PRU-1217-21002).
Funding Information:
Stephanie Bramley, Caroline Norrie and Jill Manthorpe have received funding from Ridgeway Information Ltd in the last three years. Stephanie Bramley has previously been employed by Citizens Advice Calderdale as a Gambling Support Service Trainer following GambleAware's partnership with Citizens Advice. The authors have also received funds from GambleAware, a national charity mandated by government to fund research into gambling harms. GambleAware receive their funding through voluntary donations from the industry but decisions about what research to fund and research questions are made by the UK Gambling Commission, the industry regulator, and are informed by the needs of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Royal Society for Public Health
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Gambling
- Gambling support
- Gambling-related harm
- Migrants
- Vulnerability
- Vulnerable groups