Addressing Disparities for Gambling Treatment Service Use in the Latinx Community: Outreach, Education, Screening, and Referral by Community Health Workers

Session Title

Poster Session

Presenters

Michael D. Campos PhD, UCLA Gambling Studies ProgramFollow
Abraham J. Caballero BS, UCLA Gambling Studies ProgramFollow
Hugo Ramirez BS, Vision y CompromisoFollow
Hanssel Walker BBA, Vision y CompromisoFollow

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Location

Park MGM, Las Vegas, NV

Start Date

24-5-2023 10:30 AM

End Date

24-5-2023 11:15 AM

Disciplines

Health Services Research | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Problem gambling/gambling disorder prevalence among Latinx individuals in the U.S. is similar to that seen in the non-Latinx Caucasian community (Alegria et al., 2009). However, there are disparities in the use of State-funded treatment for such problems in California. This is true for mental health service use for ethnic/racial minorities in the US overall (Alegria et al., 2008; Dua et al., 2011; Wells et al., 2001). The California Office of Problem Gambling (OPG), the UCLA Gambling Studies Program (UGSP), and Visión y Compromiso (VyC) are conducting a 2-year pilot project using community health workers (promotores/as) to increase Latinx utilization of CalGETS services in Los Angeles and San Diego Counties. The proximal goal of this project is to implement/evaluate a culturally/linguistically relevant enhancement to program outreach activities. Progress to date includes: (1) a Spanish-language translation of the Breif Biosocial Gambling Screen; (2) focus group data on gambling in the Latinx community; (3) a two-day, gambling-specific Spanish-language training for promotores/as; (4) measures of trainee satisfaction and knowledge; (5) a Spanish-language field guide for promotores/as; and, (6) about 27 trained promotores/as. The distal goal of this work is to create content that is adaptable to other underserved communities in the U.S.

IMPLICATIONS

State-funded gambling treatment must serve an increasingly diverse population in the U.S. This project may be the first to use promotores/as to address cultural/linguistic gaps in services for Latinx persons. It may help to inform similar work other States and for other underserved communities in the U.S.

Keywords

Health Disparities, Gambling Treatment, Latinx Community

Author Bios

AUTHOR BIOS

Michael D. Campos is a psychologist working for the UCLA Gambling Studies Program in Los Angeles, CA. He received an MS (1998) and PhD (2003) in Clinical Psychology from Washington State University, Pullman. He did his postdoctoral work at the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs and is licensed as a psychologist in California. Currently, Dr. Campos directs UGSP’s work on the collaboration with Visión y Compromiso and the California Office of Problem Gambling.

Abraham Caballero is a research assistant for UCLA Gambling Studies (UGSP) program in Los Angeles, CA. He received a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from UCLA in 2021, where he worked as a student research assistant for UGSP. He is interested in both research and community based education about addiction with a focus on culture, language, and ethnicity.

Hugo Ramirez, BS is the programs director at Vision y Compromiso (VyC) in Los Angeles, CA. He directs VyC’s work on the collaboration with the UGSP and OPG. His activities on this project have included supervising the project director at VyC, conducting focus groups, coding qualitative data from these groups, adapting the training materials, and delivering the training to promotores/as in Spanish.

Hanssel Walker, BBA is the project director at Vision y Compromiso (VyC) in Los Angeles, CA. His work on the project has included supervising the four promotores who provide oversight to volunteers in Los Angeles and San Diego Counties, conducting focus groups, coding qualitative data from these groups, adapting the training materials, and delivering the training to promotores/as in Spanish.

Funding Sources

Funding for the project came from the Office of Problem Gambling, California Department of Public Health. These funders helped in the selection of Visión y Compromiso as a project partner, but had no other involvement with the work reported in this poster.

Competing Interests

Dr. Campos' and Abraham Caballero's salaries are funded under a grant to the UCLA Gambling Studies Program from the Office of Problem Gambling, California Department of Public Health. Mr. Ramirez and Mr. Walker are supported by a subcontract with UGSP for the work done on this project.