Context: Since 2009, poisonings have been the leading cause of fatal injuries in the United States (US) and remain a continuing public health issue. Because of the varying definitions for what constitutes a poisoning case, there are inconsistencies in the annual number of cases reported among national health surveys.
Objectives: The main objective of this study was to describe poisonings treated in Illinois hospitals by type of exposure, as well as to detail demographic characteristics, acute outcomes, and general cost estimates for those exposed to poisoning. We also compared a broad definition for poisoning used in our analysis with the definitions used by four national health surveys in order to assess the adequacy of various definitions in capturing poisonings for surveillance.
Material and methods: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of outpatients and inpatients treated in Illinois hospitals in 2010 using the Illinois hospital database. Age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated.
Results: In Illinois, 425,491 patients were treated in hospitals for poisoning in 2010, of whom 222,339 were inpatients. The age-adjusted incidence rate was 3,189 per 100,000 persons, with an average length of stay among inpatients of 5.5 days. The cumulative hospital charges were $7.9 billion.
Discussion and conclusion: The definitions used in national surveys miss 60-90% of poisoning cases. Poisoning is the leading cause of fatal injuries in the U.S., but as this study shows broadening the definition for poisoning may provide a more accurate representation of the direct and indirect effects of poisoning in the US.
Keywords: Ethnic disparities; Health care costs; Poisonings.