title: Trends in age-specific human poisoning exposures reported to a regional poison control center, 1997-2001.
abstract: This study examined age-specific trends in the annual incidence rates of poisoning exposures reported to a regional poison control center over a 5-y period. Data from the poison control center's 1997-2001 computerized case records were combined with age-specific population estimates from the US Census Bureau. Incidence rates of reported poisoning exposures were calculated and evaluated for the following age groups: < 6 y; 6 to 12 y; 13 to 19 y; 20 to 35 y; 36 to 65 y; and > 65 years. Ordinary linear regression analysis revealed a statistically significant decreasing trend in the annual crude incidence rate of poisoning exposures/1.000 population (r2 = .87, slope = -.33 p = .02). Different patterns were observed in the rates of reported poisoning exposures between the 6 age groups. While there was a significant decrease in the rate of reported poisoning exposures in children < 6 y of age or less, and for adults 20-35 and 36-65 y-old, the incidence rate among children 6-12 y, adolescents, and people > 65 y-old showed no significant decreasing trend.
authors.affiliation: New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Zdravko P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Vassilev
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: Thelma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jennis
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ruck
authors.forename: German
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rego
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swenson
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Halperin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D011039:Poison Control Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies