Individuals with gambling addiction may be more susceptible to long-term sick leave that lasts several years.
Researchers studied 2830 adults aged between 19 and 62 who were diagnosed with gambling disorder, over a period of 13 years.
Each individual’s sickness absence was measured across the three years before diagnosis and the three after. Results from these individuals were compared against a control group who did not have a gambling addiction diagnosis.
Results showed that individuals with gambling addiction had a four-year increased risk of long-term work disability, with a peak at the time of diagnosis. Women, older individuals, those less educated, and those in densely populated areas were at higher risk.
Researcher Viktor Månsson, said: ‘The study shows that we need to detect gambling problems at an earlier stage in healthcare and at workplaces and increase access to help for affected people so that they can break negative trajectories earlier.’
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