Professor Pamela Raburu, a Co-I on the Research Innovation Fund project Identification of and intervention in gambling effects among vulnerable groups in public universities in Kenya made a visit to the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research.
The research project, the first of its kind in Kenya, found that:
- The gambling prevalence rate for third year students at the university was between 70-75%.
- Students sometimes used their college fees to gamble, putting the continuation of their studies at risk.
- Harms associated with gambling included suicidal thoughts, reduced focus on academic studies, poor performance in academic work, strained relationships and disruption to social life.
The project produced educational communication materials for the dissemination of information about gambling harms. It also developed a policy intervention framework for managing gambling harms among university students and staff.
The Hub team discussed with Professor Raburu how they can provide further support to develop the project impacts, future research collaborations and networking opportunities.
The Hub also introduced her to other researchers in the university working on the Africa Charter which seeks to transform research collaborations between the global North and the African continent.
