title: Hospital outcomes and economic costs from poisoning cases in Illinois.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since 2009, poisonings have been the leading cause of fatal injuries in the United States (US) and remain a continuing public health issue. Because of the varying definitions for what constitutes a poisoning case, there are inconsistencies in the annual number of cases reported among national health surveys.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main objective of this study was to describe poisonings treated in Illinois hospitals by type of exposure, as well as to detail demographic characteristics, acute outcomes, and general cost estimates for those exposed to poisoning. We also compared a broad definition for poisoning used in our analysis with the definitions used by four national health surveys in order to assess the adequacy of various definitions in capturing poisonings for surveillance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a comprehensive analysis of outpatients and inpatients treated in Illinois hospitals in 2010 using the Illinois hospital database. Age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Illinois, 425,491 patients were treated in hospitals for poisoning in 2010, of whom 222,339 were inpatients. The age-adjusted incidence rate was 3,189 per 100,000 persons, with an average length of stay among inpatients of 5.5 days. The cumulative hospital charges were $7.9 billion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The definitions used in national surveys miss 60-90% of poisoning cases. Poisoning is the leading cause of fatal injuries in the U.S., but as this study shows broadening the definition for poisoning may provide a more accurate representation of the direct and indirect effects of poisoning in the US.
authors: School of Public Health, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Illinois , Chicago, IL , USA.
authors: Alison K
authors: AK
authors: Krajewski
authors: Lee S
authors: LS
authors: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ethnic disparities; Health care costs; Poisonings