Acute Poisoning among Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care Center: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Acute poisoning is a major global public health problem contributing to one of the
leading causes for a visit to an emergency department. This study aims to analyse the demographic
and psychosocial characteristics of patients with acute poisoning presented to the emergency
department.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary care hospital from
June to December 2019 after obtaining ethical approval from Institutional review board (reference
number. 041-075/0760). A convenient sampling method was applied. Epidemiological factors, types
of poison consumed, reason, motive, and place to take poison, time elapse in the presentation to the
hospital were studied. Statistical analysis was done using statistical package for the social sciences
version 20. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and
proportion for binary data.

Results: Out of 76 cases of acute poisoning, the organophosphorus poisoning was 18 (23.7%) followed
by unknown 12 (15.8). Of total, 28 (36.8%) had quarrel before taking poison and 41 (53.9 %) had
intention to commit suicide. Sixty-seven (88.2%) took a poison at home. The average elapsed time to
the visit of the emergency department was 110±80 minutes.

Conclusions: The most common poisoning was organophosphorus with a suicide being the most
common intention. Quarrel was the most frequent reason to take poison and the home was the most
common place to take poison.