Table 2 Distribution of poisoning cases according to age categories
From: Pattern of acute poisoning at two urban referral hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia
Patient characteristics | Frequency [Number (%)] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
0 - 12 years (n = 300 ) | 13 - 19 years (n = 149 ) | 20 - 30 years (n = 253 ) | > 30 years (n = 125) ) | |
Sex | ||||
Male | 177 (59.0) | 37 (24.8) | 121 (47.8) | 84 (67.2) |
Female | 123 (41.0) | 112 (75.2) | 132 (52.2) | 41 (32.8) |
Residence | ||||
Urban | 72 (24.7) | 46 (30.1) | 72 (28.8) | 41 (32.8) |
Peri urban and rural | 220 (75.3) | 103 (69.1) | 178 (71.2) | 84 (67.2) |
Route of poisoning | ||||
Ingestion | 286 (95.3) | 135 (90.6) | 226 (89.3) | 106 (84.8) |
Inhalation | 0 | 4 (2.7) | 5 (2) | 2 (1.6) |
Absorption | 1 (0.3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Animal/insect bites | 13 (4.3) | 10 (6.7) | 19 (7.5) | 17 (13.6) |
Circumstance of poisoning | ||||
Accidental | 288 (98.0) | 43 (31.2) | 63 (27.8) | 49 (49.0) |
Deliberate self-harm | 6 (2.0) | 95 (68.8) | 164 (72.3) | 51 (51.0) |
Outcome of poisoning | ||||
Recovered | 300 (100) | 148 (99.3) | 245 (96.8) | 118 (94.4) |
Died | 0 | 1 (0.6) | 8 (3.16) | 7 (5.6) |
Toxic agent involved | ||||
Pharmaceutics and narcotics | 25 (10.4) | 30 (25.0) | 51 (24.5) | 11 (11.3) |
Pesticides | 39 (16.3) | 32 (26.7) | 73 (35.1) | 29 (29.9) |
Domestic and industrial | 98 (40.8) | 29 (24.2) | 37 (17.8) | 15 (15.5) |
Plant, animal and food poisoning | 78 (32.5) | 29 (24.2) | 47 (22.6) | 42 (43.3) |