With expanded access to gambling, many communities are not aware of the potential harms associated with problem gambling, the populations that are disproportionally affected, and the importance of using a public health approach that is grounded in equity to address problem gambling. This introductory training will explore the importance of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities, problem gambling concepts and terminology, variables associated with an increased risk or a lower likelihood of problem gambling, groups at risk for developing problem gambling, and connections with related health issues. 

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Identifying prevention approaches for emerging behavioral health problems, such as problem gambling where the field is young can be challenging, and we don’t yet have a lot of evidence-based or evidence-informed strategies with proven outcomes to utilize. What we do have is a history of prevention in other behavioral health fields in knowing what works that we can draw from, and we can draw on that experience to develop strategies and interventions to address problem gambling prevention. One way to explore this is through the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory, which explains how and why people adopt new behaviors. This advanced training reviews the DOI theory, Motivational Interviewing, and the stages of change, including how various groups adopt new behaviors and how participants can use the DOI theory and apply it to their behavioral health field of study or develop an intervention to reach key populations and change beliefs and attitudes.

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