Recorded presentation

Latifa M. Boyce, MPH, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 11710 Beltsville Drive, Suite 300, Calverton, MD 20705, 3017552700, lboyce@pire.org

Introduction: Risk factors for fatal and nonfatal hospital-admitted poisoning injuries were identified and compared by severity, intent, and substance type. Methods: Secondary data analyses involving mortality and hospital discharge data from six northeastern states were conducted. Deaths and hospital discharges with poisoning external cause of injury codes (E code) listed as the underlying cause or as the primary injury E code were included. Multiple Poisson regression models were fit for rates of poisonings. Results: Substance type and intent jointly impacted risk of death and hospitalization from poisoning. Self-inflicted poisonings that involved drug and medicinal substances were half as likely to result in death, but twice as likely to result in hospitalization compared to those that involved non-drug and non-medicinal substances. For fatal poisoning, adults, males, and non-Whites were identified as high-risk demographic groups, and Saturday and Sunday were high-risk weekdays. Demographic risk factors for nonfatal hospital-admitted poisonings were age, sex, and state of residence. Variations in high-risk groups for fatal and nonfatal poisonings of different substance types and intents were also observed. Age and sex were risk factors for unintentional and self-inflicted nonfatal hospital-admitted poisonings, however the high-risk groups differed. High-risk groups identified for self-inflicted nonfatal poisonings were adolescents and females. The elderly, children younger than 5 years, and males were high-risk groups for unintentional poisoning. Conclusion: Risk factors for poisoning are specific to the substance, severity, and intent of poisoning. Prevention efforts targeting the elderly are minimal and warrant priority.

Learning Objectives: The participants in this session will be able to

• articulate the importance of identifying risk factors for poisoning injury;
• discuss data issues and research methodology specific to poisoning that are associated with using state and national level data to identify risk factors; and
• cite examples of risk factors and high risk groups for fatal and nonfatal hospital-admitted poisonings observed in a regional assessment.

Keywords: Injury Risk,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation