Abstract

ARROYO, Yorleny; SALA, Ana Elvira  and  ARIAS MORA, Freddy. Trends in mortality by poisoning cases in Costa Rica. Rev. costarric. salud pública [online]. 2014, vol.23, n.1, pp.58-62. ISSN 1409-1429.

Objective: To describe poisoning deaths produced in Costa Rica in the period 2007-2011, according to frequency, sex, age, place of occurrence and intentionality. Methods: A descriptive study of 497 deaths caused by poisoning was conducted in Costa Rica during the period 2007-2011. Cases were recorded in the Section of Forensic Pathology, Department of Forensic Medicine of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial. Sex, age, intentionality and the place of occurrence of the poisoning was analyzed. The results were compared with the poisonings cases registered by the National Poison Control Center Results: Among the major groups of toxicants in Costa Rica are pesticides, medicines, abuse drugs and gases. We analyzed 319 deaths caused by pesticide poisoning, 66 by abuse drugs and 65 causes by medicines. Discussion: The male predominated with 75 % of all deaths and cases of poisoning. In the group of children, those younger than 1 year of age had the highest number of poisoning cases reported. Poisoning deaths in the majority of cases were reported in populations aged 15-29 and 30-44 years old. The reasons of intoxication are primarily accidental poisoning (79 %) while the reasons of reported deaths are suicidal (66 %). The place where the most frequent poisonings occurred is in the home of the victim. Medicines are the main poisoning agent while pesticides are the cause of most deaths due to poisoning.

Keywords : Mortality; Poison Control Centers; Pesticides; Toxicity; Suicide.

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