title: Acute poisoning: a major health concern in Sri Lanka.
abstract: The importance of acute poisoning as a cause of morbidity and mortality in many developing countries has been highlighted in recent times. This study discusses the utilization of routinely collected data from hospitals for background information required in planning and implementing preventive programs. The high prevalence of poisoning and its distribution countrywide were highlighted by the routinely collected data, while the retrospective study of hospital admissions identified the wide range of toxic agents and age and sex differentials in the pattern of poisoning. Even though the overall case fatality rate was 7.6%, there was wide variation among the different toxic agents.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Fernando
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernando
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology