Doctors in the UK have been instructed to ask patients about their gambling behavior in the same way they do about smoking and drinking. This could prevent gamblers from taking their own lives, according to a new report.
Dr Julian Morris, a Senior Coroner in London, compiled the report in response to the death of Lee Adams. Adams committed suicide following an extensive gambling session in 2020. Morris had previously concluded that his gambling disorder was one of the causes of his death, along with the prescription drug he had overdosed on.
To prevent similar cases in the future, Morris said, “GPs should be reminded to ask individuals about their gambling habits in the same way that they ask about smoking and alcohol.”
Achievement for Adams Family
On the day of his death, Adams placed 600 bets in a row on an online slots website shortly after receiving his monthly salary, according to his family.
His family celebrated Morris’ conclusion that gambling had been a decisive factor in his death. His cousin, Natalie Ashbolt, stated, “We need to recognise it was an achievement to have gambling disorder listed as the causing factor – as a family we’ve known it all along.”
She said it was a struggle to have the inquest investigate gambling as a cause of death.
“Unless you have private funding and the support and the ability to have a coroner even accept that they’re going to look into gambling… to get to the point we did isn’t going to happen for all the families it should,” said Ashbolt.
Doctors Need More Training
Last week, a separate inquest in the UK concluded that the death of Arthur Soames was due to “mental health distress exacerbated by gambling“.
The same legal firm, Leigh Day, represented both the families of Soames and Adams in the cases. Lawyer Dan Webster noted that even as Soames sought help for his mental health struggles from his GP, “no screening questions about gambling were asked at any stage.”
Morris wants that to change, and Soames’ family also believed increased awareness among GPs could have prevented his death. They noted that despite the 19-year-old admitting to his doctor that he had been spending large amounts of time and money gambling, no action was taken to update Arthur’s risk assessment or care plan.
“Arthur’s family believes it is vital that healthcare professionals receive appropriate training and guidance to ensure that signs of gambling harm can be identified and acted upon,” said Webster.
Does Screening Make a Difference?
A study looking at whether screening for risk of gambling-related harm should be undertaken concluded that it is feasible for doctors to conduct screenings. However, the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness need to be evaluated.
Other research has found that screening and brief interventions on the risks of smoking, drinking, and gambling can have small effects in reducing harmful behaviors.
For some gamblers, seeking help may be the biggest barrier. This week, a recovering gambler told us he refrained from telling anyone about his problem for fear of being judged.
“The shame stopped me. I know people say that you shouldn’t be afraid of getting help, but I think it’s better to just keep it to myself,” he said, while wishing to remain anonymous. “I don’t want to be labeled a gambling addict. It feels like a failure, like I’m weak.”
Studies have frequently shown that people underestimate their smoking, drinking, and gambling behavior when self-reporting. One study in Australia showed that only 4% of gamblers accurately reported their net wins/losses.
In addition to urging doctors to ask about gambling, the coroner also said GPs should warn patients about the risks of prescription drugs, which caused Adams’ death.
