Gambling Leads To Poverty

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Becoming homeless isn’t a one-off event. It’s usually caused by a series of unresolved issues that build up over time. Just one trigger can push an individual or a family out on the streets.

Gambling can cause homelessness in many different ways just as other addictions can. Gambling can cause a person to get evicted by making him unable to pay bills, by causing divorce, by causing a breakdown of the family support structure, or even due to injuries caused by dealing with criminals involved in gambling. The gambling industry is fast becoming one of the most popular industries across the globe. Unlike some decades ago, where gambling was restricted to certain countries like the United Kingdom, most countries in the 21st century are embracing gaming. Of course, not every country still allows betting and gambling sites because of the impact they.

A popular belief is that many people become homeless due to an addiction, or simply due to poor money management skills. But the truth is much more complex. At Lifewise, we believe there needs to be an urgent shift in the way our society looks at poverty and homelessness.

Poverty and Homelessness Work Together

Homelessness is the most extreme sign of poverty. When families or individuals can’t afford basic necessities, they are forced to make some difficult choices. Will the money in their pocket go towards housing, food, healthcare or education? In New Zealand, we have a lack of job opportunities and affordable housing, and not everyone has access to affordable healthcare and public assistance.

Living in poverty can cause stress and trauma that can lead to a breakdown. This can include alcohol, drug or gambling addictions. But it could just as easily be a mental or emotional push that leads to loss of shelter and safety. Many homeless people are where they are because their parents, friends or relatives were unable or unwilling to accommodate them, or because they were unable to find public assistance. This can make them feel alone and unworthy.

It is often the case that those who are battling addictions developed the habit after losing their home. Becoming homeless is a traumatic experience, hitting those that are at their most vulnerable. Homeless people are often subject to discrimination from the public and are treated unfairly as if being homeless were a crime. This is the kind of mindset that needs to change.

Poverty

We need to remember that every single person living it rough has their own real story to tell. Poverty and homelessness is a social issue, but it is also a human and civil rights issue. We need to treat these matters with an open mind and an open heart. By realizing that homeless people have the same rights as anyone living under a roof, we can begin to question the cause of it all.

Gambling Leads To Poverty Increase

Time for a Change

It is undeniable that poverty and homelessness go hand in hand. In a world where everything costs money, those who are unable to afford certain necessities are excluded. Living in poverty is precarious, as no-one knows when or if their pay-check will ever be enough. This is the fault of our societal system – housing policies need to be reviewed, employment needs to be more readily available and stable, and a national strategy is needed to tackle and prevent homelessness.

In New Zealand, poverty and homelessness is an ongoing problem. We have the highest rate of homelessness per capita in the OECD, so as a nation we really need to start addressing these problems. Economic growth alone doesn’t solve poverty, as it doesn’t necessarily address poverty and inequality. Income disparities between Māori, Pasifika, and Pakeha remain high, and the gap between the rich and the poor is wider than ever.

If you’re passionate about ending homelessness, support Lifewise with a generous donation now.

Self-Management in the age of Complexity: An eHealth Tool to Support People Experiencing Gambling, Poverty and Homelessness

Principal Investigators: Dr. Flora Matheson and Dr. Alireza Sadeghian (Ryerson University)

There are significant gaps in Canada’s current mental health and addiction services for people experiencing problem gambling. Problem gambling is often associated with substance use, mental illness, trauma, chronic illness, and disability. There is a strong association between problem gambling, poverty, and homelessness. Addressing these interconnected needs requires an integrated care approach that pairs self-management with service provision, a model which largely does not exist in Canada. Working with community partners and people with lived experience, we are designing, developing, and evaluating a mobile application to support people experiencing problem gambling.

The project is funded by CIHR/NSERC Collaborative Health Research Projects grant (2019 – 2022).

Poverty

Raising Awareness: multi-sector engagement to enhance understanding of gambling and poverty

Principal Investigator: Dr. Flora Matheson

Our team, including a Community Advisory Committee, and four talented students with backgrounds in film, journalism, graphic art and nursing, has co-created multimedia tools to communicate the link between problem gambling and homelessness. These knowledge translation products feature documentary film, visual art, storytelling and a workshop.

We produced:

  • Problem gambling pamphlets for youth and women;
  • An animated whiteboard video developed for and informed by youth who have lived experience with trauma, poverty, and addiction;
  • A digital story about an adult male’s recovery from problem gambling;
  • A learning module for service providers to help them support clients experiencing problem gambling, poverty and homelessness
  • A written feature story about childhood trauma, substance abuse and problem gambling, and finding positivity in recovery.

See them on gamblingandpoverty.ca.

This project is funded by the Gambling Research Exchange Ontario (GREO)

Betting on Housing: Women, Problem Gambling and Homelessness:

Principal Investigator: Dr. Flora Matheson

Research on problem gambling and homelessness is predominantly male focused. This project is the first in Canada to research problem gambling among women experiencing homelessness. We will collect data to determine the prevalence of problem gambling among women who seek shelter services in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario. We will then interview 20 women in each city about their experiences of the relationship between precarious social and financial situations (e.g., single parenthood, interpersonal violence, immigration, debts, and unemployment), marginalization, and vulnerability to problem gambling.

This project is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Good Shepherd Ministries Evaluation Project

Principal Investigator: Dr. Flora Matheson
Agency Lead: Br. David Lynch

According to Dr. Matheson’s research, there is a strong tie between homelessness and problem gambling. Services for people experiencing these concerns and other health needs are scarce.

The Good Shepherd Ministries partnered with us to implement a new problem gambling and homelessness intervention program for both men and women. The program provides clients with support and services for problem gambling and other co-morbidities, also offering skills training, goal setting and crisis intervention. In this project, we are evaluating the program to see how it’s helping clients, and identifying ways it can be improved.

This project is funded by the Trillium Foundation under the Local Poverty Reduction Fund

Optimizing Support and Service Delivery for Problem Gambling among People Living with Complex Needs

Principal Investigators: Dr. Flora Matheson and Dr. Sara JT Guilcher

Optimizing Support is a multi-deliverable study that will give people experiencing problem gambling (PG) and other health and social needs an alternative treatment option.

Firstly, we are creating a Smartphone app to help people self-manage their problem gambling. Developed in collaboration with Dr. Sara Guilcher’s research team at the University of Toronto, the Good Shepherd Ministries, the Jean Tweed Centre, Fred Victor and the Biomedical Zone, the app will also be used in problem gambling service delivery.

It will be informed by:

  • Qualitative interviews with people who have lived experience with PG and other health and social concerns
  • A focus group with partner agency staff about client service delivery and support needs
  • A scoping review of self-management strategies for problem gambling

Secondly, we will be using Concept Mapping to conduct brainstorming sessions with a variety of healthcare providers to understand what knowledge, strategies and resources are needed to improve screening and treatment for PG.

This project is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Seeking Solutions to Problem Gambling in a Primary Care Organization focused on Health Equity

Principal Investigators: Dr. Flora Matheson and Dr. Andrew Pinto

In one of our previous studies, we found that many healthcare providers feel uncomfortable screening patients for problem gambling. In this project, we wanted to learn why.

We surveyed healthcare providers at St. Michael’s Hospital to know how they document problem gambling in electronic medical records and how they approach the topic of gambling to their patients. Our questionnaire was also embedded with information about gambling and gambling-related harms to raise their awareness. It assessed whether this information improved their understanding of problem gambling as a health issue, and also inquired about barriers to documentation. We found that the problem gambling documentation rate is 1 per 1000 patients, however, the prevalence of problem gambling in Ontario is estimated to be between 1% to 2.2%. Chart reviews indicated that the embedded gambling screening tool was not used by the Family Health Team Physicians and Allied Health Professionals. Also, health care providers said they would like to change their approach to PG and intended to use gambling screening tools.

This project was funded by the Gambling Research Exchange of Ontario (GREO).

Women Creating Community: Supporting Women to Manage Problem Gambling through Arts-Based Programming

Gambling Leads To Poverty Affects

Principal Investigators: Dr. Flora Matheson and Dr. Janet Parsons

Gambling Leads To Poverty In America

Creative activity is a beneficial approach to recovery that can foster personal and social renewal. It is a known need in service delivery for women experiencing concerns with gambling and isolation. Dr. Janet Parsons from St. Michael’s Hospital and I are creating a free art program for women experiencing gambling concerns. It will be led by two occupational therapists, Dr. Clara Juando-Prats and Isabel Fryszberg, and informed by staff at the Jean Tweed Centre and Fred Victor, where the program will be delivered.

Gambling Leads To Poverty Impact

These exciting weekly workshops are modeled after Isabel Fryszberg’s art program for people experiencing mental health and substance use concerns, and Dr. Clara Juando-Prats’ art program for marginalized youth. Women will be invited to paint, draw, write songs, play music, journal, and create collages in a positive and communal space. The program will aim to reduce gambling-related harms, and promote a shift in identity from “person who gambles” to “artist.”

If you or your organization is interested in joining our advisory group for this program, please contact Parisa Dastoori at DastooriP@Smh.ca.

Does Gambling Lead To Poverty

This project is funded by the Gambling Research Exchange of Ontario (GREO).