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2007年新西兰的病态赌徒增加,寻求帮助的赌徒人数增加了10个百分点。
More people seeking gambling help
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
The number of new clients seeking Gambling Helpline support increased by nearly 10 per cent in 2007, Ministry of Health statistics show.
The ministry's annual gambling statistics report showed the number of new people seeking phone or face to face help was up from the 2006 figure of 2648 people.
The ministry said the change in the number of people seeking help from its problem gambling services did not necessarily equate to a change in the prevalence rates of problem gamblers.
Minimising harm group manager Barbara Phillips said it was encouraging that over 85 per cent of clients reported they had lost less money in the four weeks prior to their reassessment than in the four weeks prior to their first assessment.
The data showed in the vast majority of cases non-casino pokie machines were the primary source of harmful gambling.
They showed that slightly fewer than 45 per cent of new Gambling Helpline clients were identified as New Zealand European/Pakeha, and that Maori and Pacific Island people were over-represented.
Statistics suggested that at any given time, between 0.3 per cent and 1.8 per cent, or 10,000 and 50,000 adults in New Zealand were likely to score as problem gamblers on standard questionnaires.
Analysis of the 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey estimated that one in 19 were at low risk and one in 50 were at moderate risk of their gambling being a problem.
A further 0.6 per cent of gamblers met the criteria for problem gambling.
The behaviour of each severe problem gambler was also likely to affect between seven and 17 other people to some degree.
The Ministry of Health statistics also showed there was a substantial increase (24.4 per cent) in the number of interested other clients contacting helpline services.
Those statistics referred to people requesting help because of concerns about the gambling behaviour of friends or family members. |
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