Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jan 1;37(1):e7-e12.
doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000001817.

Trends in Pediatric Poisoning-Related Emergency Department Visits: 2001-2011

Jaclyn N Kline  1 , Gia M Badolato, Monika K Goyal
Affiliations

Trends in Pediatric Poisoning-Related Emergency Department Visits: 2001-2011

Jaclyn N Kline et al. Pediatr Emerg Care. .

Abstract

Objectives: We sought to understand the burden of pediatric poisonings on the health care system by characterizing poisoning-related emergency department (ED) visits among children on a national level.

Methods: This was a repeated cross-sectional analysis of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 2001 to 2011 of children 21 years or younger who presented to an ED. We measured annual rates of visits, trends over time, and patient and visit characteristics associated with poisoning-related ED visits using multivariable logistic regression. We also compared accidental to intentional poisonings.

Results: There were an estimated 713,345 ED visits per year for poisoning in children, and intentional poisoning-related visits increased over the study period (P trend < 0.001). Compared with all other ED visits, poisoning-related ED visits were more common among males (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-1.64) and uninsured patients (aOR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.05-1.51). Poisoned children were more likely to arrive by ambulance (aOR, 3.38; 95% CI, 2.85-4.01) and be admitted (aOR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.12-1.61). Compared with accidental poisonings, intentional poisonings were more common as age increased (aOR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.13-1.92) and in children of non-Hispanic black race/ethnicity (aOR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.12-2.93) and more likely to be associated with ambulance arrival (aOR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.07-2.08) and hospital admission (aOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.25-2.48).

Conclusions: Poisoning-related ED visits among children have remained stable, with significant increase in intentional ingestions from 2001 to 2011. Poisoned children, and particularly those with intentional poisonings, require more health care resources than children with other health concerns. More study is needed on circumstances leading to pediatric poisonings, so that preventive efforts can be targeted appropriately.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

    1. Mowry JB, Spyker DA, Brooks DE, et al. 2014 Annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS): 32nd annual report. Clin Toxicol . 2015;53:962–1147.
    1. QuickStats. Death rates for three selected causes of injury—National Vital Statistics System, United States, 1979–2012. MMWR . 2014;63:1095.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NHAMCS Scope and Study Design. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ahcd/ahcd_scope.htm#nhamcs_scope . Accessed December 15, 2015.
    1. ACEP. V and E Codes FAQ. Available at: http://www.acep.org/Clinical---Practice-Management/V-and-E-Codes-FAQ/ . Accessed December 15, 2015.
    1. Franklin RL, Rodgers GB. Unintentional child poisonings treated in United States hospital emergency departments: national estimates of incident cases, population-based poisoning rates, and product involvement. Pediatrics . 2008;122:1244–1251.

LinkOut - more resources