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Table 3 Factors associated with circumstance of poisoning

From: Pattern of acute poisoning at two urban referral hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia

Patient characteristics

Circumstance of poisoning [Number (%)]

Accidental

DSHa

P-Value*

Sex

0.002

 Male

254 (56.1)

158 (45.1)

 Female

199 (43.9)

186 (54.9)

Age

< 0.001

 0 to 12 years

288 (65.0)

6 (1.9)

 13 to 19 years

43 (9.7)

95 (30.1)

 20 to 30 years

63 (14.2)

164 (51.9)

 Over 30 years

49 (11.1)

51 (16.1)

Route of poisoning

< 0.001

 Ingestion

382 (84.3)

338 (99.7)

 All other routes combinedb

71 (15.6)

1 (0.21)

Residence

0.006

 Urban

140 (31.4)

76 (22.6)

 Peri urban; rural

306 (68.6)

261 (77.5)

Outcome of poisoning

< 0.001

 Recovered

453 (100)

322 (95.0)

 Died

0

17 (5.0)

Toxic agent involved

 

 Pharmaceutics and narcotics

27 (7.0)

93 (33.6)

< 0.001

 Pesticides

61 (15.8)

120 (43.3)

 Domestic and industrial

126 (32.7)

55 (19.9)

 Plant, animal and food poisoning

171 (44.4)

9 (3.3)

  1. *P-values were derived using chi square
  2. aDSH = Deliberate Self-Harm
  3. bComprised of inhalation, bites/stings and dermal routes