Problem Gambling related to Intimate Partner Violence: findings from the Pacific Islands Families Study

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and problem gambling are becoming increasingly significant public health issues, especially amongst Pacific populations within New Zealand, yet no general population studies have explicitly investigated the association between these factors. This study aims to determine whether problem gambling is an independent risk factor for IPV victimization in 700 couples with a Pacific infant, after accounting for problem drinking. Victimization of any and severe physical IPV was indicated for 33% and 18% mothers, and 38% and 22% fathers, respectively. For mothers, 1% were classified as problem gamblers and 15% as problem drinkers; while for fathers, 2% were defined as problem gamblers and 26% as problem drinkers. In this first published study to simultaneously relate current problem gambling to IPV victimization in a general population, no association could be found.