Trends in children's attendance at hospital Accident and Emergency Departments for unintentional poisoning from 1990 to 1999 in the UK

摘要

Poisoning in children is a significant cause of morbidity. In 1999, an estimated 31 186 children aged 0-14 years attended Accident and Emergency (A&E) Departments in the UK following a poisoning (Department of Trade and Industry 2001). It is the second most common injury mechanism resulting in hospital admission in childhood (Hippisley-Cox et al. 2002) with 30% of 0-4 years olds attending A&E in 1999 being admitted (Department of Trade and Industry 2001). The most recent UK study examining trends in admission rates for poisoning amongst children aged under 5 years found that they declined by 7.7% between 1976 and 1986 (Sellar et al. 1991). However, admission rates for poisoning in Australia in children aged under 5 years increased over the period from 1987 to 1995 (Hoy et al. 1999). A&E attendance rates for childhood poisonings declined between 1982 and 1996 (Department of Trade and Industry 1999) However, there is no information on trends in childhood poisonings by specific agents. The authors were therefore interested in examining recent trends in poisoning attendances at A&E departments in children affected by a poisoning agent.