Determinants of gambling among male students in secondary schools in Imo State, Nigeria

ABSTRACTObjective: To assess the prevalence, pattern and determinants of gambling among students in secondary schools in Imo State, Nigeria.Method: This was a school based descriptive cross sectional survey carried out on 507 students in three male only urban Secondary Schools in Owerri. Data was collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured, self-administered sociodemographic questionnaire.Results: Two hundred and ninety (57.2%) had gambled at least once in their lifetime and out of these 225 (77.6%) had gambled in the last 12 months. Students greater than 18 years of age, (OR:3.12;1.27–7.71), whose friends engage in gambling, (OR:2.96; 1.95–4.49), parents gamble, (OR:4.80; 2.85–8.09, siblings gamble, (OR:3.16; 2.08–4.81), friends accept gambling, (OR:9.81; 4.73–20.37), and had problems on account of gambling (OR:9.81; 4.73–20.37) were more likely to currently practice gambling. Having friends that engage in gambling, gambling to be accepted by friends, parental gambling, problems with authorities on acc...