Prevalence and Determinants of Problem Gambling among Internal Migrants in Muse, Myanmar, near the Border with China

Abstract

© 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. Strong cultural acceptance of gambling and the stress of migration are placing migrants at risk of developing gambling problems in Southeast Asia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of problem gambling and its determinants among internal migrant workers in Muse, Myanmar, situated along the border with China. A cross-sectional study was conducted in April to May 2018 in Muse among 273 internal migrants. The prevalence of problem gambling was 58.2%. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, male gender, non-Burmese ethnicities, those aged 25 years and older, daily manual laborers/unemployed, and alcohol consumption remained significantly associated. Results suggest a high prevalence of problem gambling, which was associated with substance use. These findings emphasize the need to develop strategies for locally adaptive gambling prevention and interventions and further the need for routine screening process in community services and for training staff to be aware of and respond to gambling harms.