Gender- and age-stratified analyses of gambling disorder in Finland between 2011 and 2020 based on administrative registers

Aim: Prevalence studies on gambling have largely relied on survey samples. Little is known about the diagnosed prevalence of gambling disorder (GD) based on register data. This study examines the annual prevalence rate of GD between 2011 and 2020 among Finns by gender and age. Methods: Aggregated data on the diagnosis of GD (corresponding to pathological gambling, code F63.0 in the ICD-10) were retrieved from the following national registers: Register of Primary Health Care Visits, and Care Register for Health Care, including specialised outpatient and inpatient health care, and inpatient Care Register for Social Welfare. Primary and secondary diagnoses of adults were included. Average population during a calendar year (4,282,714-4,460,177 individuals) was utilised to calculate annual prevalence. Results: The annual prevalence of diagnosed GD in the population increased from 0.005% (n = 196) to 0.018% (n = 804) within nine years. In 2011, the annual prevalence rate was 0.006% for men and 0.003% for women, compared to rates in 2020 of 0.025% and 0.011%. Gender discrepancy was relatively stable across years: 27.2-33.8% of the diagnoses were for women. The prevalence of GD varied between age groups within genders. GD was most prevalent among 18-44-year-olds. The prevalence rates increased the most among 30-44-year-old women. Conclusion: The extremely low prevalence rate of GD implies that the problem remains under-diagnosed, yet, it has increased among all age groups across genders, except for women aged 60 years or older. Active efforts are needed to increase awareness of GD among both primary and specialised healthcare professionals and the public for better recognition and early detection.Peer reviewe

Gender- and age-stratified analyses of gambling disorder in Finland between 2011 and 2020 based on administrative registers

Aim: Prevalence studies on gambling have largely relied on survey samples. Little is known about the diagnosed prevalence of gambling disorder (GD) based on register data. This study examines the annual prevalence rate of GD between 2011 and 2020 among Finns by gender and age. Methods: Aggregated data on the diagnosis of GD (corresponding to pathological gambling, code F63.0 in the ICD-10) were retrieved from the following national registers: Register of Primary Health Care Visits, and Care Register for Health Care, including specialised outpatient and inpatient health care, and inpatient Care Register for Social Welfare. Primary and secondary diagnoses of adults were included. Average population during a calendar year (4,282,714-4,460,177 individuals) was utilised to calculate annual prevalence. Results: The annual prevalence of diagnosed GD in the population increased from 0.005% (n = 196) to 0.018% (n = 804) within nine years. In 2011, the annual prevalence rate was 0.006% for men and 0.003% for women, compared to rates in 2020 of 0.025% and 0.011%. Gender discrepancy was relatively stable across years: 27.2-33.8% of the diagnoses were for women. The prevalence of GD varied between age groups within genders. GD was most prevalent among 18-44-year-olds. The prevalence rates increased the most among 30-44-year-old women. Conclusion: The extremely low prevalence rate of GD implies that the problem remains under-diagnosed, yet, it has increased among all age groups across genders, except for women aged 60 years or older. Active efforts are needed to increase awareness of GD among both primary and specialised healthcare professionals and the public for better recognition and early detection.</p

Photoelectron recoil in CO in the x-ray region up to 7 keV

Carbon 1s photoelectron spectra of CO molecules in gas phase were recorded in the tender x-ray energy range, from 2.3 to 6.9 keV. The intensity ratios of individual peaks from ν=0 to 3 within the vibrational progression of the C 1s photoelectron spectrum were determined at the various photon energies and are shown to be strongly affected by the photoelectron recoil effect. The experimental vibrational intensity ratios are compared with theoretical predictions at different levels of accuracy. Developments of the recoil model, using generalized Franck-Condon factors, rovibrational coupling, Morse potential energy curves, and accurate angular averaging are presented and applied to the analysis of the experimental results

Photoelectron recoil in CO in the x-ray region up to 7 keV

Carbon 1s photoelectron spectra of CO molecules in gas phase were recorded in the tender x-ray energy range, from 2.3 to 6.9 keV. The intensity ratios of individual peaks from nu = 0 to 3 within the vibrational progression of the C 1s photoelectron spectrum were determined at the various photon energies and are shown to be strongly affected by the photoelectron recoil effect. The experimental vibrational intensity ratios are compared with theoretical predictions at different levels of accuracy. Developments of the recoil model, using generalized Franck-Condon factors, rovibrational coupling, Morse potential energy curves, and accurate angular averaging are presented and applied to the analysis of the experimental results

Psychiatric comorbidity was linked with diagnosed gambling disorder in Finland – A study based on a total population sample

Only few studies have evaluated gambling disorder (GD) based on total population samples. The prevalence rates of diagnosed GD are low in Finland; however, they increased among all age groups across genders, except for the women aged 60 or more in 2011-2020. This study examines the psychiatric comorbidity and main causes of death among person with diagnosed GD in Finland based on a total population sample. Aggregated data on adults with diagnosed GD (ICD-10: code F63.0) were retrieved from the following Finnish national registers: Register of Primary Health Care visits, and Care Register for Health Care, including specialised outpatient and inpatient health care, and inpatient social care. Primary and secondary diagnoses in 2011-2020 were included. Further, data on other psychiatric diagnoses (F00–F99), and causes of death were retrieved. Of persons with GD, 87.7 percent had been diagnosed with at least one additional psychiatric disorder. Comorbid psychiatric disorders were more prevalent among women with GD (92.1%) compared to men with GD (85.9%). Overall, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders were most common types of comorbid disorders. Out of the 2,617 persons with GD in 2011-2020, 54 persons (2.1%) had died. Every third death was a suicide death. The potential presence of comorbidity and increased risk for suicide death should be acknowledged by health and social care professionals when working with persons with addictive disorders including GD. Furthermore, interventions are needed to increase awareness of GD among both primary and specialized health care professionals and the public