{
  "abstract": "Introduction: Sports betting is increasingly prevalent among young people in Ghana, yet there is limited local evidence on how betting frequency and borrowing to bet relate to psychological distress. Methods: A cross-sectional exploratory survey was conducted among 100 youths aged 18-30 years in selected university campuses, betting centres and youth-dominated spaces in Greater Accra. Participants were recruited using purposive and convenience sampling after eligibility screening. Psychological distress was measured with a nine-item adapted Depression Anxiety Stress Scale used as a general distress index, not as a diagnostic instrument. Descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, independent-samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U sensitivity analysis and multivariable linear regression with HC3 heteroscedasticity-robust standard errors were used. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Psychological distress scores ranged from 0 to 27 (mean 7.50, standard deviation 5.66). Betting frequency was positively associated with psychological distress in bivariate analysis (Spearman r_s = 0.335, 95%CI: 0.155 – 0.503, p = 0.001). Respondents who borrowed money to bet reported a slightly higher mean distress score than those who did not, but the difference was not statistically significant (mean difference: 0.15; 95%CI: -2.62 to 2.92; p = 0.914). The Mann-Whitney U sensitivity analysis also showed no statistically significant difference by borrowing status (U = 790.5, p = 0.744). In the adjusted model, betting frequency remained independently associated with higher distress (adjusted beta 2.78, 95%CI: 1.71 – 3.86, p < 0.001), while borrowing remained non-significant. Conclusion: More frequent sports betting was associated with higher psychological distress among youths in this non-probability exploratory sample. The findings do not establish causality. Betting frequency may help identify youth who warrant further psychological assessment, but it should not be treated as a validated screening tool until it has been tested in larger, longitudinal, and more representative studies.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Psychology, Heritage Christian University, Amasaman-Accra, Ghana"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 1,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Kingsley Eyram King-Kuadzi",
      "orcid": "0009-0002-1107-3814"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/45fyaxz71r4x3.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.37432/jieph-d-26-00120",
  "fulltext_url": "https://afenet-journal.org/10-37432-jieph-d-26-00120/",
  "id": "45fyaxz71r4x3",
  "issns": [
    "2664-2824"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.37432/jieph-d-26-00120",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "lcc",
      "R"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3203|Gambling Behavior and Treatments"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7168018628",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-07-01",
  "publisher": "African Field Epidemiology Network",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/45fyaxz71r4x3.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T13:47:27Z",
      "native_id": "26c028d2c4f54ab6bd876cd17f3633da",
      "source": "doaj",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.37432/jieph-d-26-00120"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:3203|Gambling Behavior and Treatments",
      "subfield": "psychiatry"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Sports betting frequency and psychological distress among youth in Greater Accra, Ghana: An exploratory cross-sectional study",
  "title_text": "Sports betting frequency and psychological distress among youth in Greater Accra, Ghana: An exploratory cross-sectional study",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T13:47:27Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/45fyaxz71r4x3",
  "venue": "Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health",
  "versions": []
}