The Epidemiology of Accidental Poisoning in an Urban Population II. Prevalence and Distribution of Poisoning

Abstract

The occurrence of accidental poisoning in a random sample of 1069 households in Syracuse, N.Y., was studied. Similar rates of poisoning were observed in all socioeconomic areas. Most episodes occurred among young children. Nearly 12% of children 2 yrs. of age had experienced an episode within the 12 months prior to the study. In families of 5 or more members 6.5% of families had experienced accidental poisoning in at least 1 member within the previous year and 23% of these larger families had a history of poisoning at some time in the past. In only 76% of these episodes was a physician consulted. This seems due primarily to a common lack of awareness of the potential hazard of aspirin and some of the common household products. Substances ingested were seldom in their proper (and inaccessible) place. Although these observations do not solve this problem, they emphasize the need for continued education of parents during routine health supervision as children enter the danger age of 1 to 4 years. Safety caps and safe storage places for medicine and household products offer at least a partial solution to the problem.