A Study on Profile of Poisoning Cases in a Tertiary Care Hospital at Karaikal

Abstract

Background: Acute poisoning is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with 90% of the burden of fatal poisoning cases from developing countries. The pattern of poisoning in any region depends on a variety of factors such as availability of poisons, socio-economic status of the population, religious beliefs, and cultural influences. The data regarding poisoning cases in south India is scarce. Hence, the present study was carried out. materials and methods: This was a hospital-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted for a period of one year, from January 2021 to December 2021. results: Out of 152 cases, the majority were males (63.16%) and from rural areas (83.55%). The most common age group involved was between 21 to 30 years (41.45%). Suicidal poisoning was common (57.74%) followed by Accidental poisoning (34.21%), while none of them were homicidal in nature. Organophosphorus compounds, Household products, and Rodenticides were the most commonly used poisons. conclusion: The present study concludes that acute poisoning is a distressing public health problem. It affects the larger number of the male population. The commonest poisoning agent was the Organophosphorus compound. The occurrence was high among married males and in the age group of 21 – 30 years. The incidence of acute poisoning, morbidity, and mortality related to the poisoning can be diminished by developing and implementing of appropriate preventive strategies.