Epidemiology of intentional self-poisoning in rural Sri Lanka.
We investigated the epidemiology of intentional self-poisoning in rural Sri Lanka by prospectively recording 2189 admissions to two secondary hospitals. Many patients were young (median age 25 years), male (57%) and used pesticides (49%). Of the 198 who died,156 were men (case fatality 12.4%) and 42 were women (4.5%). Over half of female deaths were in those under 25 years old; male deaths were spread more evenly across age groups. Oleander and paraquat caused 74% of deaths in people under 25 years old; thereafter organophosphorous pesticides caused many deaths. Although the age pattern of self-poisoning was similar to that of industrialised countries, case fatality was more than 15 times higher and the pattern of fatal self-poisoning different.
Eddleston
Michael
M
Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, PO Box 271, 25 Kynsey Road, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka. eddlestonm@eureka.lk
Gunnell
David
D
Karunaratne
Ayanthi
A
de Silva
Dhammika
D
Sheriff
M H Rezvi
MH
Buckley
Nick A
NA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D030007:Nerium / Q000506:poisoning; D010269:Paraquat / Q000506:poisoning; D010575:Pesticides / Q000506:poisoning; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012423:Rural Health; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology
D010575:Pesticides; D010269:Paraquat