ORIGINAL PAPER
Acute intentional poisonings within an urban agglomeration in Poland in 2004–2013
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1
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland
(Toxicology Clinic, Poison Information Centre)
2
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland
(Department of Knowledge Management)
3
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland
(Toxicology Clinic, Department of Toxicology)
Online publication date: 2019-12-13
Corresponding author
Anna Piekarska-Wijatkowska
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Toxicology Clinic, Poison Information Centre, św. Teresy 8, 91-348 Łódź, Poland
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(1):77-90
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: The aim of the research was to analyze the nature of changes and tendencies observed in the frequency, circumstances and causes of acute
intentional poisonings within the agglomeration of Łódź, Poland. The study related to adults. Material and Methods: As the research material, medical
records of patients hospitalized due to an acute poisoning in the Department of Toxicology in Łódź were used. Information on the hospitalized
patients was gathered in the database created in accordance with the assumed criteria and an approved system of the collection of variables describing
the issues of intentional acute poisonings. Results: In the analyzed period, within the group of 18 918 adult patients hospitalized due to an acute poisoning,
male patients prevailed, accounting for 57.17% of the whole group. Intentional poisonings constituted 40.19% of all poisonings, with women
dominating within that group of patients – accounting for approximately 58.63%. The largest group was formed by young people, 18–35 years old, accounting
for 43.22%. The average age of the intentionally poisoned patients showed an upward tendency; this tendency concerned women to a larger
extent. Medications played the most powerful role in acute intentional poisonings. Within the whole population, they were responsible for 97.27% of
intoxications. The analysis of the dynamics of changes in the percentage of patients referred for further mental treatment revealed that the number
of patients continuing hospital treatment in psychiatric wards tended to grow. Conclusions: Observations indicating that women are more likely to
attempt intentional poisoning, and that the number of patients with psychiatric disturbances tended to grow in the analyzed period, demonstrate an
urgent need for preventive measures to be taken in the local communities. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(1):77–90