The relationship of Rio residents with online betting has become part of routine consultations in Primary Care units in the city, at Family Clinics and Municipal Health Centers. Since August, the Municipal Health Department has adopted a protocol to identify possible cases of gambling addiction and provide care also to the family members of bettors.
The strategy works through two questions asked during all appointments. The answers are recorded in the medical record, and when the patient gives a positive response to one of them, professionals are instructed to assess the need for specific follow-up.
The procedure follows a similar model to that already used to track other health problems in routine consultations.
