Pathological gambling among students at the Joseph KI-ZERBO University in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: prevalence and associated factors

Pathological gambling, recognised as an addictive disorder, is increasingly affecting young people. Given the lack of data in Burkina Faso, this study explores its prevalence and associated factors among students at Joseph KI-ZERBO University, in order to better guide preventive action. This was a prospective, descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted from September 2024 to March 2025, with data collection from January 14 to 22, 2025. A total of 439 students were included in our study. We found that 25.1% of students gambled. The average age of gambling students was 23.7 years. The prevalence of pathological gambling among UJKZ students was 30%, and 48.2% of students had a moderate risk of pathological gambling. We found that age, gender and religion were not significantly associated with pathological gambling among UJKZ students. However, family history of pathological gambling, initiation to gambling through the media and daily gambling were significantly associated with pathological gambling. Our study highlights the extent of pathological gambling and the factors that might influence it. It is therefore necessary to implement collective and targeted preventive strategies to limit the spread of pathological gambling among this vulnerable population, i.e. students. It will also be important to conduct further research to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying these behaviours, as well as their academic and social impact.