Polysubstance and Single Substance Use Among Adults: Is Gambling a Differentiating Factor?

The use of multiple substances including binge drinking and other substances - often referred to as polysubstance use - is generally associated with worse treatment outcomes. There has been limited research on the relationship between gambling behaviors and polysubstance use.

This study examined demographic and behavioral attributes including engagement in gambling activities in relation to polysubstance use.

Data came from a population-based sample of adults from the state of Iowa (n = 3,843). Multinomial regression using a logit link was used to model polysubstance use.

Multivariate findings suggest that engaging in multiple types of gambling activities (p < 0.001) helped to differentiate polysubstance use from single substance use in the past 30 days. Other differentiating factors between polysubstance use and single substance use included having a high school degree or less (p = 0.015), being unemployed (p = 0.027), or not having health coverage (p = 0.008). Compared to no substance use, polysubstance use or single substance use occurred more frequently among males (p < 0.001), younger adults (p < 0.001), never married adults (p = 0.004), adults with lower quality of life scores (p = 0.024), and individuals who experienced feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past 30 days (p < 0.001).

An important finding of this study is the strong association between breadth of gambling and polysubstance use. Results can inform prevention and harm-reduction strategies designed to expand public awareness of the health risks associated with polysubstance use, as well as initial intervention strategies for adults using multiple substances engaged in other risky behaviors such as gambling.