Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114640

Lakota K. Kruse, MD, MPH, Division of Family Health Services, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, P O Box 364, Trenton, NJ 08625, (609) 292-5656, lkruse@doh.state.nj.us, Sandhya Deshpande, MCH Epidemiology Program, New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Services, PO Box 364, Trenton, NJ 08625-0364, and Charles E. Denk, Ph D, Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, P.O. Box 364, Trenton, NJ 08625-0364.

BACKGROUND: Nationally, over 2.3 million poisoning exposures are reported annually by US poison centers; 51.6% of these exposures occur among children under 6 years of age; and 92.3% occur in the home.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the epidemiology of unintentional pediatric (ages 0-4) poisoning hospitalizations in New Jersey.

METHODS: All acute care hospitalizations in New Jersey from 1994 – 2003 for ages 0-4 years with an ICD-9 CM external cause for unintentional poisoning by drugs, medicines, and other substances (E850 - E869) were analyzed.

RESULTS: Unintentional poisonings for males slightly outnumber females at all ages (0 - 4). The number of poisonings due to drugs & medicine (E850-E859) exceeded poisonings due to other solids and liquids (E860-E869). Poisonings due to drugs & medicine peak for children at age 2. Poisonings due to household solids and liquids peak at age 1. The most common specific unintentional poisonings due to drugs and medicine was other drugs acting on the central and autonomic nervous system (E855). The most common specific unintentional poisonings due to household solids and liquids was cleansing and polishing agents (E861). The most common type of unintentional poisoning varied by race/ethnic. Overall, unintentional poisonings have declined, with larger average annual decline in poisonings due to other solids and liquids (7.8%) compared to poisonings due to drugs & medicine (5%).

IMPLICATIONS: Efforts to reduce unintentional poisonings need to target 1 to 2 year olds. Improved coding of agent specific poisoning needs to be reported for a more focused approach to prevention.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify trends in pediatric (0-4 years old) unintentional poisoning hospitalizations.
• Analyze trends in unintentional poisoning hospitalizations by single year of age and subtypes of unintentional poisonings.
• Identify race/ethnic disparities in pediatric unintentional poisoning hospitalizations.

Keywords: Injuries, E Code

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.