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Problem Gambling

NEW: Eastern Metropolitan Region Problem Gambling Initiative Grants Newsletter now ready to download!

You may remember late last year, the Inner East Primary Care Partnership (IEPCP) and Outer East Health & Community Support Alliance (OEHCSA) opened up expressions of interest for a grants initiative which focused on social isolation in the Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR). The grants were made available through the PCP Problem Gambling (PG) Initiative’ which is a state-wide project funded by the Department of Justice (DoJ) currently in its fourth year. After numerous applications, six projects successfully gained funding and have been busy addressing the social determinants of problem gambling, throughout 2011.

Contents:

Resource for Problem Gambling Health Promotion- Available Now to Download!

Health Promotion Resource Guide for Problem Gambling Prevention in Melbourne's East.

This guide provides background information about pokie machine gambling in the Eastern Metropolitan Region and takes the reader through the "how to" of developing  strategies which to prevent gambling related harm.

What is currently happening in 2011-12?

Project Goal

The ‘PCP Problem Gambling Initiative’ has been developed to support the notion of capacity building of Primary Care Partnership (PCP) member agencies in order to reduce risk factors for problem gambling in their communities, as well as raising awareness of problem gambling as a public health issue. This project aims to provide upstream (preventive) interventions which will address the social determinants of Problem Gambling, in this case, social isolation within the Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR). The project goal is to “Strengthen communities in the EMR so that they are less vulnerable to problem gambling”.

The Inner East Primary Care Partnership is one of nine priority PCP’s across Victoria funded by the Office of Racing and Gaming in the Victorian Department of Justice to undertake this initiate over a three year period, which commenced in July 2008, but has now secured additional funding to take this program through till September 2012.

To view the 2011-12 project plan click here.

What is Problem Gambling?

In Australia Problem Gambling is defined as “Difficulties in limiting money and/ or time spent on gambling which leads to adverse consequences for the gambler, others, or for the community”? (Gambling Research Australia report (2005) –Problem gambling and harm: Towards a National Definition.

Research shows that 80% of people who identify having a gambling problem use pokie machines as their main form of gambling.

Since the arrival of pokie machines in Victoria in 1992, the greatest amount of money expended on pokies in the state has come from residents of the City of Monash. In the financial year 2008-9 a total of $124 million dollars was lost in the City of Monash, $67 million in the City of Manningham; $59 million in the City of Whitehorse and $20 million in the City of Boroondara.

Gambler's Help Eastern

Gamblers Help Eastern is the peak body in the EMR providing support to gamblers and their family and significant others who are negatively affected by gambling. Gamblers Help Eastern is a principle partner in the Problem Gambling Initiative. For further information on the range of services provided by Gamblers Help Eastern click here.

What is Integrated Health Promotion?

Health Promotion

The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes Health Promotion as:
"the process of enabling individuals and communities to increase control of the determinants of health and therefore improve their health.

Health promotion represents a comprehensive social and political process, it not only embraces actions directed at strengthening the skills and capacities of individuals, but also action towards changing social, environmental and economic conditions as to alleviate their impact on public and individual health".

Integrated Health Promotion

In Victoria, the term “integrated health promotion” refers to agencies in a catchment working in a collaborative manner using a mix of health promotion interventions and capacity building strategies to address health and well being issues. Following are the States’ guiding principles” for integrated health promotion;
- Address the broader determinants of health
- Base activities on the best available data and evidence
- Act to reduce social inequities and injustice
- Emphasise active consumer and community participation
- Empower individuals and communities
- Explicitly consider difference in gender and culture
- Work in collaboration

Source: Integrated Health Promotion Resource kit, Victorian Department of Human Services, Melbourne, 2003

Resources

Contact details

For more information about problem gambling prevention work by the Inner East PCP, please contact Claire Ferrier on (03) 9285 4894 or claire.ferrier@iepcp.org.au

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