Salonen, AnneAlho, HannuCastren, Sari2017-03-072017-03-072017-01-26Salonen, A, Alho, H & Castren, S 2017, 'Attitudes towards gambling, gambling participation, and gambling-related harm : cross-sectional Finnish population studies in 2011 and 2015', BMC Public Health, vol. 17, 122. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4056-7http://hdl.handle.net/10138/176772Background: Information about public gambling attitudes and gambling participation is crucial for the effective prevention of gambling-related harm. This study investigates female and male attitudes towards gambling, gambling participation, and gambling-related harm in the Finnish population aged 15-74. Methods: Cross-sectional random sample data were collected in 2011 (n = 4484) and 2015 (n = 4515). The data were weighted based on gender, age and region of residence. Attitudes were measured using the Attitudes Towards Gambling Scale (ATGS-8). Gambling-related harms were studied using the Problem Gambling Severity Index and the South Oaks Gambling Screen. Results: Attitudes towards gambling became more positive from 2011 to 2015. Female attitudes were generally negative, but nonetheless moved in a positive direction except in age groups under 25. Occasional gambling increased among women aged 18-24. Women aged 18-24 and 45-54 experienced more harms in 2015 than in 2011. Both land and online gambling increased among women aged 65-74. Male attitudes towards gambling were generally positive, and became more positive from 2011 to 2015 in all age groups except 15-17. Weekly gambling decreased among males aged 15-17. Gambling overall increased among males aged 18-24. Gambling several times a week decreased among men aged 35-44 and 45-54, and gambling 1-3 times a month increased in the latter age group. Online gambling increased only among men aged 55-64. Conclusions: Attitudes towards gambling became more positive in all except the youngest age groups. Under-age male gambling continued to decrease. We need to make decision-makers better aware of the continuing growth of online gambling among older people and women's increasing experiences of gambling-related harm. This is vital to ensure more effective prevention.11enginfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessAttitudesCross-sectionalGamblingGambling-related harmPopulation studyPLANNED BEHAVIOROLDER-ADULTSINTERNETGAMBLERSDISORDERSCONSEQUENCESAUSTRALIAPLAYPublic health care science, environmental and occupational healthArticleopenAccesse75bb011-c98a-4f9f-874a-b6b500c278ab85010931732000392915000001