Birutė Strukčinskienė, Sigitas Griškonis
Santrauka
Unintentional poisonings in children, teenagers, andyoung people result in significant mortality and morbidityglobally. The aim of the study was to estimatemorbidity trends due to unintentional poisonings inchildren and young people with focus on unintentionalpoisonings from medicines, alcohol, and illicitdrugs in Klaipeda County (Lithuania).The data (over 2003-2015) were obtained from theHealth Insurance Fund and the Department of Statisticsin Klaipeda. The longitudinal study was performed,and regression analysis was applied for thestudy. The children aged 0 to 14 and teenagers aged15 to 19 treated at the hospital because of seriouspoisonings were examined. The morbidity per 1000children was calculated.Among patients treated in the Klaipeda County hospitalsbecause of serious poisonings, 48 % were childrenaged 0 to 19 years. In children aged 0 to 14 years,treated at the hospitals as inpatients, 48% weretreated because of the poisonings from medicines,29% – from alcohol, 1% – from illicit drugs, and 22%- from other substances. In the young people aged 15to 19 years, the main substance of serious poisoningswas alcohol – 52%, on the second place of hospital-treated poisonings were unintentional poisoningsfrom medicines (34%), and poisonings due to illegaldrugs were very few (5%). The study showed that themain substances of poisoning for children aged 0 to14 years were medicines, whereas for ones aged 15to 19 years were alcohol. The study revealed decliningtrends of non-fatal poisonings due to medicinesin both children and teenagers groups, and male andfemale subgroups. However, there were no significantchanges of poisonings due to alcohol in young peopleaged 15 to 19 years, and in girls aged 0 to 14 years.Poisonings due to drugs were very rare, and showedno significant change. Parents and children educationand information within child safety prevention projects/programs could influence the decrease in poisoningsdue to medicines. However, more attentionshould be put on prevention of alcohol use amongchildren and teenagers, with focus on legislation andenforcement.
Raktiniai žodžiai: poisonings, children, young people, trends, morbidity.
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2017.074
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