Open AccessProfile of acute poisoning cases presenting to health centres and hospitals in Oman
Author(s) -
Shyam Bala Lall,
S S Al-Wahaibi,
Muzna Al-Riyami,
Khalsa AlKharusi
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2003.9.5-6.944
Subject(s) - medicine , poison control , occupational safety and health , pediatrics , injury prevention , retrospective cohort study , suicide prevention , accidental poisoning , emergency medicine , medical emergency , environmental health , surgery , pathology
A simple pro forma was used for a retrospective study of poisoning cases at 45 health institutions in Oman during January-December 2000. No deaths were recorded among 2009 cases of acute poisoning. A quarter of all cases [55.8% of paediatric cases] were children aged 1-4 years. The largest category [59.5%] was animal bites and stings: 25.4% undiagnosed, 19.7% scorpion stings, 7.6% bee, spider or wasp stings and 6.8% snake bites. Next highest [38.5%] was ingestion of substances: 18.2% pharmaceuticals, 8.2% food and 4.7% household products. Most drug-related cases were due to paracetamol. Suicide attempts were recorded for 6.0%. Collection of poisoning data through a central registry system is needed for the implementation and future assessment of prevention programmes