Exploring Poisoning at the Emergency Department at the University Hospital of Medicine in Albania

Abstract

Background: Critical insecticide poisoning is a primary health emergency that causes notable illness and mortality. Insecticide poisoning is accountable for 14 - 20% of universal suicides and nearly 110,000 - 168,000 deaths annually. Objectives: This study aimed to assess socio-demographic features to recognize aspects linked to diagnosis definition and consecutive outcomes of acute poisoning in a tertiary hospital center in Tirana, Albania. Methods: This was explanatory observational research, considering patient records of all poisoning-linked admissions of individuals aged 10 years or older admitted to the emergency department at the University Hospital Center in Tirana, Albania. The data was gathered from January 2018 to December 2019. Results: We assessed 200 patients' medical records. Among them, we compiled 157 patients' medical records with comprehensive evidence in the ultimate study. The predominant age group was 21 to 30 years, involving 22.3% of the participants. The mean age of contributors was 34.2 years (SD 12.3). We noticed that 52.87% were female. Regarding the birthplace, 76 (48.4%) individuals were from middle Albania. Most participants, 108 (68.8 %), lived in rural areas. The diagnosis of poisoning was 56.69% from phostoxin and phosphoro-organics, followed by 11.46% from multi-drug intoxication. Conclusions: Our study reveals serious concerns that need attention from managers and policymakers, such as superior vigilance among the public concerning the significance of quick transfer to hospitals for poisoning cases, accelerating the relocation of severe patients to tertiary care hospitals, and the arrangement of specific poison divisions in secondary and tertiary care centers.