An Epidemiological Profile of Poisoning Episodes Among Texans Utilizing Hospital Discharge Survery Data

Ramisetty-Mikler, Suhasini, An Epidemiological Profile of Poisoning Episodes Among Texans Utilizing Hospital Discharge Survey Data. Master of Public Health (Epidemiology), May, 2003, 68pp., 15 tables, references, 43 titles. This retrospective study of hospital discharge data provides an epidemiological profile of admissions, type of poisoning causing the hospitalization, and the intent of injury among Texans (N=12,541) during 1999. Overall, females are more frequently admitted, the rates increased with age through age 50 and declined thereafter among non-HIV patients. Psychotropic drugs and analgesics are the top two substances causing more than half of all admissions and one-third among children under age 14. Approximately 61% of all poisoning admissions are self-inflicted. The self-infliction risk is two times greater among non-HIV females and is highest (8 fold) among teenagers (age 15 to 17) compared to children 14 years or younger. The risk decreased with age (7 fold) through middle ages and dropped significantly after age 40 (4.5 times). Self-infliction is less likely after age 60. Whites are 1.5 times more likely than Blacks to self inflict among both HIV and non-HIV patients.