Clinical and Socio-Demographic Profile of Poisoning Cases - A Retrospective Study from Dharwad, Karnataka

BACKGROUND Poisoning is a major healthcare issue in our country. There is a recent increase in trend of non-OP compound usage. We wanted to study the socio-demographic, and clinical profile in terms of outcome with different poisons. METHODS A total of 100 patients were included in this retrospective study conducted in tertiary care hospital in Northern Karnataka. Data was collected and analysed using pre-structured questionnaire regarding demographic details, mode of poisoning, precipitating factors, duration of hospitalization, and final outcome. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were done to find the association between the two attributes. Odds ratio was also calculated. P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS Mean age of the study population was 31.48 years. Majority of the study population was females (63 %, N = 63), homemakers or students (32 % each), illiterates (68 %) and married (62 %). Mode of poisoning was suicidal in 78 % of the patients. Among the compounds used for poisoning, non-OP compoundespecially pharmaceutical drugs accounted for 40 % of the cases. Mean duration of hospital stay was 5 days and 16 % had prolonged hospitalisation. Family fight, depression, and consumption of ethanol at the time of poisoning were the common precipitating factors. Mortality was 3 %. Homemakers and students (χ2 = 4.33, df = 1, OR = 3.33, 95 % CI = 1.02-10.7, P < 0.05), unmarried individuals (χ2 = 5.31, df = 1, OR = 3.75, 95 % CI = 1.16 - 12.1, P < 0.05) and teetotallers (χ2 = 18.94, df =1, OR=11, 95 % CI = 3.26 - 37, P < 0.05) had higher proportion of non-OP compound consumption and this was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Educational awareness and regulation of drug availability over the counter, to prevent such emergencies, is essential. Awareness of good mental health and support systems has to be publicised to prevent the precipitating factors. KEYWORDS Poisoning, Drug Overdose, OP Compound, India